Focus of a Soul
by Sui Megami
Summary: Kratos is back... and he has some bad news that will send the entire group into a rollercoaster of events involving a great organization and a stubborn halfbreed.
1. A Warning

Bijin: Alright... after painstakingly and mind-numbingly gone through and edited this story, I have decided to kind of re-submit it. People who read the previous version might notice some changes, including som major changes with Dr. Surah to deal with his issue. In the author's note at the end of Dr. Surah's chapter I will explain why I did what I did. So I hope you enjoy this... here we go again! Hopefully after this, I will be able to focus more on this story's sequal.

Either way, I hope you enjoy it!

**IF YOU HAVEN'T FINISHED THE GAME COMPLETELY, DO NOT READ THIS YET! MAJOR SPOILERS!**

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**Chapter 1: A Warning**

At one time, there were two worlds- the world of Tethe'alla, and the world of Sylvarant. These two worlds existed on two different dimensional planes, and for four thousand years of existence, knew little of each other. Despite never having crossed paths, the two worlds were astonishingly similar. Each world had a chosen that would go on a long journey and by offering their humanity to heaven, would allow the world to regenerate and become plentiful once more. But on the side of Sylvarant, there was one chosen, whose friends were not satisfied with this sacrifice, and once they discovered the existence of Tethe'alla, and learned of the regeneration process that drained the other world of its life energy, they set out in search of a way to save both worlds.

Lead by the half-angel Lloyd Irving, this group was able to wield the Eternal Sword and defeat the angel that originally created the twisted battle for energy. In the end, a tree of infinite mana was created, germinated by Lloyd's efforts. The tree acted as a link between the two worlds and the worlds became one. This new world became known simply as the Neo World. The Chosen's group, consisting of nine people split apart, each going their own way. Two retreated to Altamira to work on revitalizing the new world. One went to Meltokio to assist in the abolishment of discriminatory laws. One went back to her own village to help it flourish and bring back their way of life. Two went on a journey of discovery, to found new cities and villages and hoped to eventually find a place they could call home. One boarded the infamous land of Derris-Kharlan to ensure that it never caused trouble for the Neo World again, hoping to dispose of its evil Exspheres into space. The final two began a journey of their own, hoping to collect and eventually destroy all of the Exspheres that had been distributed over the years since their discovery. Though the roots of discrimination that had given rise to the powerful force of Cruxis ran deep, they had begun to heal, leading toward a hopefully peaceful world.

That was three years and 135 days ago.

The town of Iselia had seen its share of fame. Having been the childhood home of the infamous Lloyd Irving- the young man said to have lead the team that saved the world- many people ventured a journey to see the village. The young leader of the village, one Colette Brunel, was a kind woman, merely in her early twenties, and often the focus of attention when these tourists would come for a look at the town that had housed Lloyd. For the young woman, in her mid teens, had been the powerful "Chosen One" destined to regenerate the world. People, though coming to see the town itself, were often drawn into Colette's tales of the adventure and stories of danger. She was quite the young hostess.

However, Colette noticed, the hustle and bustle only lasted about a month after she had separated from Lloyd and his journey to collect the Exspheres. At first she had thought it simply to be the excitement wearing off. But as more wanderers drifted into town, full of mesmerizing tales from lands far east, she began to see that that was not quite the issue. Nevertheless, Iselia was a peaceful town in a small rural area atop a hill. It was a tragically typical town. Nothing out of the ordinary happened on a regular basis. The same could not be said of larger cities like Palmacoasta as it struggled to expand, or Altamira with its casino and Amusement Park, but the lack of high-speed living suited the residents just fine. They had been very slightly affected by the happenings involving the adventures of the Chosen and Lloyd Irving, and after hearing of the danger it had entailed, they were perfectly happy with being left out. The largest thing that tended to happen every year or so was simply the arrival of two previously shunned half-elves, Genis Sage, and his older sister, Raine. The former had also grown up in Iselia, growing very closely with Lloyd Irving. The latter had been a teacher at the local school, an archaeological maniac of sorts. The two of them, after the rebirth of the Giant Kharlan Tree (now renamed as The Tree of Worlds), had set off on a journey to explore the unknown lands that surrounded several areas of both the Sylvarant part of the Neo World and the Tethe'alla part. They had founded several villages and towns since their journey began, but every once in a while, they decided the drop into the small village of Iselia to catch up on recent happenings. These visits were most likely the closest things to commotion that the village ever saw on account of the young Colette's energetic greeting.

"EEEEEEEE!" The squeal resulted in the shattering of one Asgard souvenir teacup as the maid dropped it to the floor in the kitchen. Why her mistress insisted on such a greeting, she could just not figure out. Of course, Colette had never been the shaking hands type of person.

Raine Sage couldn't help but smile as the blonde threw her arms around her neck in an enthusiastic hug. She certainly hadn't changed much. Physically, little had changed in the three years. She still had the innocence of a child written all over her face, though it had matured, losing its baby fat and turning her body into a slender beauty. Her blonde hair was caught in a low ponytail, the top of her head decorated elegantly with the different directions her hair had been pulled and gelled. Her outfit was as elegant as her hair, a simple white blouse and a knee-length skirt, tall boots covering the remainder of her legs. Her blue eyes still sparkled with the same laugher and smile that they had back when they had been traveling as the Chosen's group, and it caused her face to retain a child-like appearance.

"Welcome back, Professor Sage!" She cried excitedly, taking a step back and looking the teacher over. She was dressed in an elven dress, rather unsurprising, and her feet covered in small thin shoes. Her sleeves were rather unique, having holes cut out to show her shoulders, but continuing down as bell sleeves past her hands. The dress was engraved with the intricate designs of the elves, the kind of embroidery that declared their long-lived lifestyle. They had the time to make that sort of thing. Her silvery hair was as out of control as ever and hung around her face wildly, giving her a slightly eccentric look. "How have you been?"

Raine chuckled. "I've been alright. And what about you, Colette? How have you been fairing?"

Colette had to blush and pause as she turned to embrace Genis. The young man certainly had grown. His hair had been left alone, not only allowing it to hang in his face, but also allowing it to be pulled back into a ponytail similar to her own. His outfit was rather similar to his old one, the one he had traveled in. He was dressed as an elven warrior, and his height and physical maturity brought that fact out. The top was buttoned and intricate, designed similar to his sister's, and long baggy dark pants over thin shoes. She wrapped her arms around him (more difficult than it used to be...), and motioned for them to sit down. They obliged and Colette offered them what meager food was on the table at the time. "Help yourself to the snacks," she invited.

"So, how's life in Iselia been?" Raine inquired, declining the snacks and simply content to sit back and relax.

"Uneventful to say the least," Colette answered. Her tone was not bored. She was being honest.

"Anything new?" She continued as Genis nibbled at a cookie.

"Well... a bunch of my villagers wanna move over to the new village just south of here. You probably saw it... at least the last of the construction crews. The Dike village?" Colette sighed and motioned to the window.

"That's rough," Genis chuckled.

"Ah it's not that bad. Most people are quite happy here. Just a few of them. Some new families that need bigger houses and stuff," she shrugged.

"Speaking of which, the village sure has grown. Dirk's house looked like it was part of the village now," Raine commented.

"Yeah. We needed to expand and I decided to expand toward Dirk's house. He helped us a lot in the journey, so I wanted him to feel more like a member of the village," Colette gave a traditional smile.

"But you are looking rather normal," Raine said, motioning to her. "Wings are gone too?"

Colette nodded. "Yep. It's all gone now. Took a little over two years for the forced angel transformation to wear off completely, but it finally did. Just Colette Brunel now."

Genis reached for another cookie. "You miss being an angel?"

Colette shook her head. "Not really. With all the issues going on with angels right now, I'm glad I'm not one anymore." A weight entered her eyes and she looked down.

Raine opened her mouth to comment, though was interrupted by a weak knock on the door- one quiet enough that, had Raine spoken, it would not have been heard. Colette leapt to her feet and dashed to answer it. She gave a squeal of surprise as the guest tumbled awkwardly into her arms. She gave a sharp respiration. "Kratos!" She cried. "Genis! Help me get him inside!" Genis threw down his snack and darted to the door, taking the weak angel from Colette's arms. Kratos' eyes opened shortly, his eyes rolling around. Genis gently laid him on the couch and called to the maid.

"Vicara! Get me a cold rag." She looked back to Kratos. "Kratos, can you hear me? What's wrong?" The summoned woman rushed in, handing the requested item to the blonde, then hurried back out. Colette pressed the rag to Kratos' forehead as he opened his eyes.

He gave a few shallow breaths before speaking. "Derris-Kharlan... coming..."

Colette stood and looked to Raine. "Can you help him?" She requested, inviting her to his side.

Raine knelt against the couch, placing a hand over his chest, her eyes closed in analysis. She smiled as she opened them again. "He's fine. He's just very tired. He must've flown here all the way from Derris-Kharlan."

"What did he mean by Derris-Kharlan coming?" Genis began, plopping back into his seat. He chuckled at Colette. "You look nervous."

Colette looked up and gave a typical laugh. "Yeah... I suppose. I still get nervous when Lloyd's not around."

Genis chuckled. "That's nostalgic." He shook his head, then looked up. "Where is Lloyd anyway?"

Colette's blue gaze hit the floor and she sighed. "Lloyd... I suppose he's on the run."

"On the run?" Raine repeated. "Why? What happened?"

Colette was silent. Genis leaned foreword. "Colette please..."

The blonde gave him a long look, then sighed. "I was traveling with Lloyd for about six months on his journey to find and collect all the Exspheres. He hadn't come up with a way to destroy them yet, but... we had gathered quite a few by then. But then... I came here to lead Iselia, and... Soon after that... the Angel hunts began."

"Angel hunts?" Raine inquired. "What's that?"

"You guys have been kind of separated from civilization with your travels, so you probably wouldn't know. Angels were the creatures that made up Cruxis and nearly destroyed this world, weren't they? The people around here became afraid that the angels would come and try to finish what Cruxis started. Angel hunters are rare, since there hasn't been a killing of a single pure-blooded angel these past years, only a few innocents mistaken for angels, or those with partial angel blood due to having an exsphere for too long, but the stories that Lloyd brings about cause a lot of commotion and keep a few angel hunters going. I have managed to keep hunters out of Iselia in case Lloyd ever comes back, but he never has. I hear stories about him all the time, but... he's never actually come to Iselia." Colette gave a sigh.

Genis growled, his eyes cast to the floor. "So... as soon as discrimination against half-elves starts to diminish, discrimination against angels begins."

"Perhaps Mithos was right in some way... unless all people become the same race, discrimination will continue." Raine muttered.

"No... I think Regal had the right idea. Human nature fears that which is different." Genis grumbled. "Even if we all became the same species, people would still find things to discriminate against."

"I suppose so." Raine sighed.

"Hasn't he even written any letters?" Genis inquired. Colette shook her head.

"The only way I even know he is still alive is the stories that people constantly come and tell."

"Lloyd won't die," Kratos' weak voice interrupted. "I won't let him die before I do."

Colette turned and knelt by the couch. "Kratos, are you alright? What's going on?"

Kratos put a hand to his forehead. "Derris-Kharlan has left its normal orbit around the 'Neo World' as I hear you call it. It's heading straight at us."

There was a long pause as the three took the information in. Finally, Raine spoke softly. "Wh- what?"

"I don't know who did it... and I don't know how they did it. All I know is that a few days ago, two explosions on the planet itself caused it to careen back toward the Neo World. It'll be here in a matter of weeks at the speed it is going."

Raine collapsed back into her seat. "It would be bad enough if Derris-Kharlan was simply another world, the Neo World might've survived the impact. But... Derris-Kharlan is a mass of mana. That kind of power slamming into the Neo World will literally detonate the entire thing."

Genis gulped. "So basically... if Derris-Kharlan hits the Neo World... it'll explode."

"Yes." Raine shivered. "But what could possibly have reversed the direction of its orbit? That mana mass is as big as a planet."

Kratos shook his head. "I have no idea."

"Well... we can't very well just sit here and wait for it to come at us... we need to do something!" Colette insisted.

"I know we do... but what can we do to stop a planet from crashing into ours?" Genis demanded quietly.

"Well... I suppose we'll need the rheairds for this one." Raine muttered.

"Huh? Why?" Colette raised an eyebrow.

"It may truly be impossible for us to stop Derris-Kharlan, but remember that us stopping Yggdrasil and his plans was impossible. But we did it. We are capable of doing the impossible... the nine of us are... and I think it's time we got together again and tried something out. It can't hurt to try," Raine explained.

"Sounds good to me." Kratos agreed.

"But wait! What about Kratos? He's not well enough to travel yet!" Colette stood.

Kratos grabbed Colette's wrist. "I'm alright, Colette. Angels heal faster than humans. I'll be fine by tomorrow morning."

"Are you sure? You flew a long way." Colette kneeled next to the couch again.

"I'm positive. And even if I'm not in fighting condition tomorrow, I'll be fine to travel. We don't have the time to be hanging around here. We need to find everyone," Kratos assured her.

"But we know where everyone is. We'll be fine. We can wait a day or two for you to recover." Colette offered.

Raine shook her head. "We know where Zelos, Regal, Presea, and Sheena are, but Lloyd is another matter. Lloyd could be anywhere at this point, and it's going to be tough tracking him down. If angel hunters haven't caught him by now, it's certainly not going to be easy to find him. He'll have made it his business to know how to disappear when you don't want to be found."

Colette sighed. "Fine then... we'll leave tomorrow." She stood and called into the next room. "Vicara, could you please ready two rooms for our guests?" She inquired. The young woman said nothing, but bowed and dashed upstairs to her assignment. Colette turned to Kratos. "Kratos... could you please hide your wings? It would be rather... a problem if people saw them."

Kratos nodded and the colorful appendages vanished. "I heard your discussion about the angel hunters. To be honest, I'm not surprised. People are paranoid about your Tree of Worlds. After finally gaining relative peace, they want to do everything they can to keep it safe. If they feel threatened by anything, in this case, angels, the reaction against them will be furious. And so it seems it has. Not to mention that the only glimpse the people have seen of the angel race was a group attempting to wipe out humanity. They've never seen a kind angel before, so they naturally believe us to be evil."

Colette nodded. "We shouldn't run into problems around here. I've made it a point to all the villagers here that no hunters may enter the village, but fear can do odd things to people."

"Yes, it can." Kratos sighed and closed his eyes, dozing until he eventually was called to his room. There, he fell into a dream-ridden sleep, his mind wandering over such subjects as their attempts to stop Derris-Kharlan's decent, failure or success, Lloyd's whereabouts, and even the cause of Derris-Kharlan's change in direction. Even in unconsciousness, the night was long.

_To be continued..._

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Bijin: Okay... believe it or not, I do have a perfectly logical (though weird) reason for the whole planets moving thing, but don't thinkg I'm going to give it up easily. Hope you enjoyed the first chapter and hope you look foreward to the next! Review and see ya! 

**Next Chapter: Prince of Meltokio**


	2. Prince of Meltokio

Spacemelon: Thanks. I have to admit that when I first started putting this story together, I didn't think it had much potential, but after a whole lotta staring at my ceiling, it developed into something that could be a good one. Hope you enjoy the second chapter!

Rowena Raven: I find that a lot of authors like to think up plotlines that sometimes go against the character's personalities to suit their own fantazies, but to me... it seems the characters here are cool enough that they don't really need to be changed. They are each diverse and have special significance to the story, so I must say I have had a lot of fun with the characters.

Katana of the Jade Wings: Yuan was an issue that I thought about kinda later on in the development of the story, but after I thought about it, it just seemed to me that Yuan wouldn't want to stick around. it seems he had some measure of guilt that Kratos had over what they had done to humans, Elves, and Half-Elves alike. Kratos' answer was to leave and do what he could on Derris-Kharlan, and it was difficult to calculate Yuan's answer. But I did come up with something and sadly, he isn't featured in the story. He may have some type of cameo later on simply cause I wuv heem, but for the most part I hadn't planned on putting him in. watch out for them plot holes, though. They can be nasty.

Well, there are the reviewers so far for this story. hope to see more soon! See ya!

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**Chapter 2: Prince of Meltokio**

"Do you think this is enough food, Kratos?" Colette inquired, stuffing a few rolls and some meat into a miniature cooler to put into a duffel bag.

Kratos chuckled as he buckled a belt around his waist. "Colette... I'm sure it will be fine. The rheairds are quick, so our trip will not last longer than today." He had been given more common clothes to hide his angelic traits, the purple clothes displaying the royalty the angels seemed to carry. He wore a tight black t-shirt, a cape overtop similar to the one he wore with his purple outfit, though this one was a grayish blue. His pants were a denim color, but were long and baggy, large heavy-looking boots set upon his feet. He buckled a second belt around his waist, this one only looped through one belt loop to hang diagonally across his hips. From this belt hung a scabbard and within that was his traditional sword. He had forged the sword himself a few years ago naming it Silver Fang in the end. Never before had he found its use necessary, but he had a feeling that it would become vital in coming times. "Besides... I'm an angel. I can go long periods of time without eating or drinking."

"Still... I would feel bad if you didn't eat." Colette sighed.

"Colette, don't worry about it," he muttered. Raine walked in just then, pulling a small bag over her shoulder, her only luggage for the past few years. Genis followed soon after.

"Nice clothes," Raine chuckled. Kratos sported a barely-visible blush, but ignored her.

"We ready then?" Kratos inquired as Colette conceded and zipped the duffel closed. There was a loud knock on the door, but it was ignored as Vicara rushed to answer it. Kratos hauled Colette's duffel onto his shoulder and the group began heading for the front door, but Vicara stopped them.

"Ma'am?" She bowed to Colette. "There are a few men at the door requesting you. It seems a few people in the village spotted an angel come into town yesterday and they called these men. They wish to discuss the capture of the angel."

Colette waved her hands. "What? No! I told them, no angel hunters are to enter the village of Iselia." Colette growled. She marched over to the door, the other three in tow, and flung the door open to come up against three bounty hunters. She gave them a forced smile. "Sorry, gentlemen, but we are not in need of your services. There is no angel here." Kratos gave them a wary once-over and continued past them, followed closely by Raine and Genis.

"Ma'am, the people around here do not feel safe. If an angel is here, it is necessary that we apprehend it." The designated leader answered severely. He was a brute of a man, large, standing around six and a half feet tall, muscles lining his form. Head bald and a large hole through his right ear, her looked like a classic punk. His attire looked common enough, a heavy jacket over a loose-fitting shirt and a large sword had been strapped to his back. Along the band, which cut across his chest, was engraved the words 'Samurai Heart' in thick stoic characters.

Colette shook her head. "No. I am sorry, but there is no need for you here. Please leave this village at once."

The three exchanged wary glances, but upon her stern expression, they turned and headed away from the house, going past the rheairds as they went. Something on the smaller one's belt gave a whooping noise and the group turned to look at the three standing nearby. "There's an angel right here." He ran his eyes over them, marking Genis and Raine off of his suspicions. Their species was easily identified, that left one man. The larger one grabbed Kratos' upper arm. "You're coming with us, Angel."

Kratos rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Why does that sound like a damn pick-up line?" He ripped his arm from his grasp and his wings had appeared seconds afterward. His feet left that ground and before the bounty hunters could react, he had jetted away from the area and toward the nearby forest. As the three hunters took chase, Colette, Raine, and Genis hopped onto the rheairds and took off- their course to the east. They landed not too long after, parking the rheairds on the shore nearby the mountain of Hima. They took a moment to rest, searching the sky for their angelic comrade.

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Kratos raced in between the trees, his full concentration on the lack of trail in front of him. He hadn't had to maneuver like this since his battle with his own son years before. Needless to say, his tactic of losing enemies was wearing thin. On an impulse, he turned his path directly upwards, losing them by flying above the forest where the branches would hide him from view. Without wasting a single moment, he took off back toward the village, retrieved his rheaird, and turned his course east. His angelic eyes scanning the grounds it took not long for him to reach where the others had parked for the time being, and dismounted once he reached them. "I managed to lose them in the Iselia forest, but with something that can pick up an angelic mana signature, like that guy had, I doubt we've seen the last of them." 

"I suppose we'll deal with them as the time comes." Colette sighed and remounted her rheaird. "So where to we head first?"

Raine put a finger to her chin. "Well... Meltokio is closest. We could stop there for supplies and to pick up Zelos. He'll probably have more information on Lloyd than we do currently. He has access to national archives there."

"Sounds good to me. From there, we can head to Mizuho. It's only a few miles away." Genis continued. "And Altamira would be our last stop, I suppose. After that we can focus all our attention on locating Lloyd if he can be found at all."

"We'll find him." Kratos assured him. "Lloyd may be hard to locate, but he won't have any problems with us trying to find him. He won't hide from us."

"I hope not," Raine sighed. The rheairds left the earth and the two-hour flight to Meltokio began. Along the way, Raine felt a sudden urge to inquire of Colette, "Colette... the last time you spoke with Lloyd was about three years ago, correct?" She nodded. "Why did you stop traveling with him? It seems to me you wanted to be by his side."

Colette sighed. "I did, and I still do. But when the angel transformation wore off, the first things I lost were my angelic fighting abilities."

"And I suppose you had become so accustomed to fighting with them that it was hard to fight without them," Kratos suggested, glancing at the ground below them. Colette sighed.

"Yes. And the battles we were in to regain the Exspheres were getting too dangerous for me to continue helping Lloyd and still be of much help. I still loved Iselia and Lloyd suggested that I go back and try to rebuild the town after the last mayor surrendered his position."

"And he hasn't contacted you at all the last three years?" Colette shook her head. Genis continued. "He's been traveling for nearly three years completely alone. Unless... do you suppose he met up with Yuan?"

Kratos shook his head. "No chance. I met with Yuan shortly before Derris-Kharlan set off into space. He swore he was going to disappear off the face of the earth until he died. There's no way he would suddenly appear and help Lloyd. He gave me his Exsphere to dispose of in space, so he has no power boost and even as an angel, that leaves him weakened. He wouldn't have the power or stamina to keep up with Lloyd."

"So... why would he isolate himself for three full years?" Genis inquired softly.

"Because of his reputation," Colette mumbled.

"What?" Raine asked, leaning toward Colette.

The blonde shook her head. "Nothing. Sorry. Look! There's Meltokio!" She cried as they brought the rheairds to a rest in the castle's courtyard. They dismounted and Raine motioned to the stone structure before them.

"Zelos will probably be in the castle."

"No he's not," Genis corrected flatly, pointing at the red-headed aristocrat, who leaned casually on the wall of the building, waving an arm before a young woman who clearly was uncomfortable with his invasion of her personal space. Genis cupped his hands around his mouth. "You still chasing skirts, you ass?"

Zelos perked up and turned, his red hair bouncing energetically around his young face. "Well, if it isn't the brat!" He cried, chuckling. "And you brought my Angel and Her Highness!" He opened his arms and greeted Colette and Raine, who simply chuckled and rolled their eyes. He stopped as he spotted Kratos. "Hey... it's Lloyd's Papi!"

Kratos seemed slightly put off by the nickname, but sighed. "Yes, Lloyd is my son. Do you know where he is?"

"Angel-boy? Hell no. If I did I'd probably be King Tethe'alla by now. Do you know how many people are looking for him?"

"Why are they looking for him?" Genis requested, his face full of innocent curiosity.

Zelos stared at him for a long moment. "Huh? You mean you don't know why Lloyd is on the Neo World's Most Wanted? I thought everyone had heard about his conversion."

"Conversion?" Kratos demanded, his tone rough. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Zelos sighed. "Look... how about we talk over at my place? Angel-boy isn't a very comfy topic around here." He led them off to the right and down a street full of elaborate manors and estates, eventually ushering them into his familiar mansion, and waving away the butler. "Okay... where have you guys been, under a rock? Everyone knows about Lloyd's little conversion."

"Well, apparently not," Raine growled. "What's going on?"

Zelos looked around at the inquiring faces, noting that Colette didn't seem quite as intent or confused as the others did. He gave a deep breath and sighed. "No one really knows how or when it happened. Just... for a long time now, Lloyd's been labeled as a... Dark Lord kinda guy. He's been known to kill people... and he's destroyed five villages to date. There are several theories floating around as to why he changed, but most of them have something to do with the silly notion of his angel blood warping his mind or something. I think the most common one is that he reunited and saved the world in order to conquer it. That's about all the info I have on him right now. I've been able to use my influence to keep the King from putting a price on his head, but he's losing his patience with that. Lloyd's become a real threat."

Silence.

Colette was the first to speak up. "I don't care what the reasoning is or how many times I've heard those ridiculous stories. Lloyd is Lloyd. He hasn't changed one bit and you know it!"

Raine looked to Colette. "So this is what you meant back then... on the rheairds, when you mentioned his reputation. You've heard this before, haven't you?"

Colette looked down. "Yes... all the stories I hear coming through the village are all of Lloyd's terrible deeds and such. I guess... I didn't want you to find out unless you had to since I know they're all lies."

Kratos nodded. "Indeed. You know as well as I, Zelos, that Lloyd would never do such things."

"Do we?" Zelos challenged. "I want to believe in Lloyd's goodness as much as you, but I gotta tell you... with all the stuff he's put the government through, I'm starting to believe the stories. Most recently, the government had to pull extra funding to house all the people in Krimari, that little village Northeast of Hima...? He completely annihilated that village, and we had to send all the refugees to a little place east of Sybak. How the hell can you explain that? He's also destroyed several other villages including a small section of the rebuilt Luin. It's completely insane."

"But you know Lloyd's not," Genis assured him.

"Listen, Brat. I don't know what to think. All I know is weather or not you believe he's dangerous, if you ever meet him you need to be careful until you find out for sure who he is now."

"Could you drop the Brat thing? It's been three years," Genis growled.

Zelos plopped a hand on his head. "Old habits die hard."

"We're definitely going to meet him," Kratos muttered. Zelos quirked an eyebrow at him. "We're looking for him."

Zelos glanced around at the group. "And people say I'm crazy." He shrugged. "Your life, I suppose. What are you looking for him for anyway?"

"Actually for the same reason we came here for you." Raine answered.

Hearts popped into Zelos' eyes. "And I thought you didn't care, your Highness."

Raine shoved him away and growled. "Not like that... we have a dilemma." She proceeded to explain the current situation, and Zelos' eyes went wide.

"Damn... that is a dilemma. Well... what do you want me to do about it?"

"We're not sure," Colette answered. "But we figured if we got the group back together, we could come up with something. Together we have a range of resources unrivaled by anyone else on this world. We might as well try it out. And if we fail, then at least we can say we tried."

"Sure," Zelos scoffed. "Saying we tried will definitely get by with the people once we all blow up."

"Ignoring that, we need to get going. There are a few angel hunters after Kratos and we need to keep moving. Are you with us or not?" Raine inquired, standing.

"I suppose I'm in. The government needs to do something, ne?"

"Contrary to what is normal," Kratos muttered.

"Shut up, Papi."

The group quickly made their exit and stopped at the nearest store to purchase gels and other such items before meeting Zelos back at the courtyard where a fifth rheaird had been placed for Zelos. "You ready to go?" Raine inquired shortly.

"No need to snap, your Highness. Of course I'm ready to go. I just notified the church I was taking some leave. I hope you appreciate I'm spending my vacation doing this."

Kratos rolled his eyes. "And you'll appreciate it more if you live through this 'vacation time', I'm sure."

"You always know just what to say, huh Papi?"

"Will you stop calling me that?" Kratos cried angrily.

"You do realize that by showing you're annoyed, he's never gonna stop, right?" Genis inquired, leaning over as the rheairds left the ground.

Kratos looked to Zelos, who was smiling mischievously. "Damn," The angel muttered.

_To be continued..._

* * *

Bijin: I LOVE WRITING FOR ZELOS! I have to say that writing script and action for Zelos is most likely one of the most fun things I have ever written to date. Muxh wuv, Zelos! Anyway, review and I'll upload the next chapter... probably later today. If not... tomorrow. Review and see ya for now! 

**Next Chapter: First Clues of Lloyd**


	3. First Clues of Lloyd

lloyd-forever: Yeah... Zelos is a bum. but I lurv him anyway! XD The angel hunters idea came to me as kind of a side issue since the whole point of the game seemed to talk about discrimination and its results, I figured that we should reinforce Regal's point, which I think is completely true. He said even if people all become the same species, people will still find things to discriminate about. The hunters was a logical response I thought would occur against the angel race that made up Cruxius. As for Lloyd being evil, you'll have to wait and find out.

* * *

**Chapter 3: First Clues of Lloyd**

"Hey Zelos...?" Genis called as their rheairds flew over the plains below toward Mizuho. The redhead turned slightly to listen. "I was wondering... you mentioned that the King has wanted to put a price on Lloyd's head, right?"

Zelos nodded. "Well, yeah. Why?"

"Why hasn't he? It seems that if you think he is so evil, why not put a bounty on his head? That has to make the government look bad, letting a proposed serial killer run amuck."

Zelos shrugged. "Yeah, I suppose it does. But I have reasoned to the King- who has reasoned to the people- that Lloyd Irving has done far more for this world than we can ever hope to repay him for. He told them he couldn't bring himself to put a price on his head. Which, by the way, is completely untrue. I don't know how much longer I can keep the King from condemning him. The people are really getting upset. Plus, with him continuing his little rampage, it's not going to be too much longer before the King dismisses me completely."

"He trusts you that much?" Raine inquired incredulously, raising an eyebrow.

"You sting me, your Highness," Zelos chuckled. "I helped to save the world just as much as you did, you know. He trusts me completely. At least... I think he does. I'm his right-hand man, after all."

"Whatever," Kratos groaned.

Colette, who had been oddly quiet, suddenly spoke up. "Hey... I just thought of something... if Dirk isn't really Lloyd's father, and we now know that Kratos is... wouldn't Lloyd's real name be Lloyd Aurion?"

Kratos chuckled. "I suppose it would be."

Zelos smiled, delighted at the change of subject. "No kidding. Actually, Lloyd tried calling himself Lloyd Aurion for a while, but he was registered in all the record books in Meltokio and Sybak as Lloyd Irving, so it didn't last long. As far as I know, he still calls himself Lloyd Aurion, but it hasn't really caught on. Everyone knows him as Lloyd Irving."

Kratos smiled. Lloyd suddenly seemed friendlier. He had accepted Kratos' name as his own, knowing now who his true father was. He glanced down, seeing the small collection of huts below and the many kimonoed people wandering about below. "We're here."

Zelos hopped off his rheaird almost before it had stopped moving, running for the gate and waving his arms like a child. "Hey! Orochi!"

The guard glanced up and smirked arrogantly, placing a hand on his hip. "Well, if it isn't the Baka Chosen."

Zelos' expression deflated and his run slowed to an unenthusiastic march. "Aww, don't tell me you've been polluted like that, too." He pointed at him and straightened. "You've been brainwashed, you know that right?"

"I know I don't hear Zelos Wilder's voice!" called a feminine voice from a nearby hut. Sheena exited moments later dressed in a dull brown kimono, and her hair pulled into a messy ponytail on the back of her head. Despite her comment, she smiled at the sight of Zelos, and the others who approached from behind. "Nice to see you all here!" she called, running over to the gate. Zelos immediately wrapped her in a hug.

"I've missed you, my voluptuous hunny!" he cried. Colette swore she saw tears in his eyes.

Sheena squirmed and eventually peeled him away from her. "Oh knock it off, you pervert." Quickly dusting herself off from whatever residue Zelos' hug might've left, she bowed to the rest. "It's great to see you all again. But I must ask what the occasion is. It's odd to see a bunch of you together, even with this tag-along." She jabbed a thumb at Zelos, whose expression deflated further.

"We're getting the group together," Kratos answered monotonely.

Sheena's jaw dropped at the sight of Kratos. "You... but weren't you-?"

"... On Derris-Kharlan? Yes. We have come to you with a bit of a problem," he answered, cutting her off.

Sheena ushered them into a nearby hut and they sat down for another rendition of the same story. Sheena was uncomfortably quiet once it was finished. "Two explosions, huh? That's insane! I'll do anything I can to help."

Raine stood. "We don't have much time to stay here, but really all we need is you. We need your brain with us. All nine of us have accomplished what was said to be impossible before, and it's time we did it again."

Sheena stood with her, nodding. She opened her mouth to speak, but there was a suddenly knock on the door to cut her off. Orochi was waiting as she answered. "What is it?" she demanded.

"There are a few hunters here who say they may have tracked an angel to this coordinates. I'm not too sure what to tell them since I know your opinion on the angel hunts," Orochi answered.

Sheena growled. "I'll be right out." She slammed the door shut and pointed to the back door, coming back into the discussion room. "You guys should get out of here. Some angel hunters are here looking for an angel. I'll catch up with you in the Goaraccia forest later." She ground her fist into her palm. "I'm going to give them a piece of my mind."

Zelos pumped his fist in the air. "Go get them, my Beauty!"

Sheena resisted the urged to slap him and stormed out the door as the others headed for the forest. They stood in a main clearing for a while, simply hanging out until Sheena caught up. Raine sighed. "Zelos... these guys seem to have pretty sophisticated equipment. You know who they are?"

Zelos shrugged. "Most likely. Not too many angel hunters are still active since the only known one is Lloyd. I've kept Yuan a secret so far, so no one knows where he is... not even me. What do they look like?"

"Well, there are three of them. A really big muscled bald guy with a big gauge in his right ear..." Genis began.

"The second guy was tall and thin and he had long hair in a braid." Colette continued.

"Then there was a little guy with a bunch of gadgets on his belts and vest. He only looked to be about Lloyd's age." Raine finished.

"Huh... You don't even need to tell me what they looked like. Two taller guys and a midget? That's Warren's gang. They're angel hunters highly trusted by the King. I personally don't like them, but then again, I don't really trust Hunters at all. They've changed their looks from what you're telling me. For some reason they seem to think they have to look like pirates to be successful Hunters." Zelos chuckled. "But I have to admit they're good. I haven't heard word of Yuan, but I wouldn't be surprised if they had killed him."

Kratos shook his head. "Yuan wouldn't go down like that. He's way too strong. Remember, he took on three of us at once and stood his own for a while. He's no pushover."

Zelos shrugged, leaning back against a tree. "I know that. I helped fight him, remember? But don't sell Warren short. Those guys can really kick butt. And they're one of the few angel hunter groups that have only killed those with angel blood. I think it's disgusting that they've gotten rid of those who have even a quarter of angel blood in them, but everyone sees them as heroes. I've gone through the records and since I portrayed Yuan to be dead to everyone the only people left on this earth with any angel blood in them at all are you and Lloyd, Papi." He waved his hand around. "They've got all the latest stuff to track Angelic mana signatures and such. They've been looking for Lloyd for years now. They say that once he's gone, they'll bring us to a point of equality and freedom."

Kratos scoffed. "I wonder what they think of seeing me?"

Zelos chuckled. "Those numbskulls probably think you're Yuan."

"Lovely." Kratos rolled his eyes as Sheena's rheaird landed a few meters away.

She smiled with satisfaction. "I think they'll be leaving us alone for a while."

Zelos grinned. "Excellent job, my voluptuous hunny!" He stopped suddenly. "It that blood on your coat?" He inquired, pointing at a small dark stain on the collar of her kimono.

Sheena blushed and hid the stain. "Maybe..." She motioned to the sky. "Come on! We're off to find... ummm... where are we going next?"

Raine mounted her rheaird and started it up. The others did likewise. "Altamira. We'll contact Regal and Presea and see if they have any information about Lloyd's whereabouts."

"Judging by the info we get there, we'll decide our next move in looking for Lloyd," Kratos added.

Sheena sighed as they took off. "Looking for Lloyd, huh?"

Colette raised an eyebrow. "Is something wrong, Sheena?"

Sheena looked up, then blushed and shook her head. "No! Nothing at all!" She sighed again as they sped eastward. _Lloyd Irving-Aurion, huh? They seem like its natural to look for him... but how can I tell them what he did...?_

* * *

"I love Altamira!" Colette exclaimed as they brushed under the gate of the sparkling and metallic coastline city. "It's always got so much going on!" She twirled slightly and dashed ahead, passing the hotel and path to the beach and heading for the bridge that would take them to the ride headed for the Lezareno Company. "And it'll be great to see Regal and Presea!" 

The others followed at a relaxed pace, making it to the Lezareno company within twenty minutes. They made it to the front desk and Zelos stepped foreword. "Good morning, Miss," he said smoothly, giving the receptionist a grin. The group gave a unified eye-roll. "Name's Zelos Wilder. Here to meet with Mr. Regal Bryant. It's kinda urgent."

The woman cocked an eyebrow and quickly made a phone call, Zelos turning around and giving an accomplished grin to his companions. "No one can resist the Zelos charm."

Sheena groaned. "You get access cause you're the King's right-hand man, and you know it. It has nothing to do with your charm or looks."

Zelos' face deflated again. "You wound me, Sheena."

"Boo-hoo," Genis cooed, pointing to the receptionist as she motioned them toward an elevator.

"Mr. Bryant is ready for you," she muttered.

The group filed in and headed up, spilling out of the elevator to greet a rather unshackled Regal Bryant, smiling widely. "Good to see you again, my friends!" he greeted, his deep and friendly voice sounding kindly in their ears.

Raine stepped foreword and gave his hand a firm shake. "Nice to see you again, Regal. And un-cuffed, too."

Regal pointed at his desk where the thick handcuffs lay. "I keep them nearby. It feels... awkward without them. Besides... if I ever take up training or fighting again, I'll need them."

"Still keeping to that old vow, huh?" Raine smiled.

"It is a vow after all. Time does not wear it down."

"I suppose not." Raine shrugged. Her face then solemned. "I'm afraid we come with rather... unpleasant news."

Regal's smile vanished as well. "I see. It seems everyone else is here, so before you begin, why don't you all have a seat, and I'll call Presea in?" He headed over to his desk as the group obliged and occupied the few couches that were present. Regal bent over a small intercom on his desk and spoke, "Presea, could you come to my office please? We have some guests."

There was no reply, but Regal took a seat anyway. A few seconds later, a young woman, her pink hair pulled back in a high ponytail hustled into the room, pulling a pair of thin-rimmed glasses from her face. She smiled as she spotted the group. "Hey everyone!" she cried. Even after the passage of over three years, her voice was still rather emotionally subdued.

Genis blushed suddenly. Presea certainly looked different than she had the last time he saw her. Her body had finally managed to grow up a little and she now looked as a twenty year old might, despite the fact that her true age was actually somewhere around thirty-one. She was dressed in a plain black business suit, though she wore pants rather than the skirts that most businesswomen would. Her glasses were carefully placed in her pocket and she took a seat beside Regal.

"They say they have some bad news for us," Regal informed her.

Raine nodded. The tale was once again retold as it had been before, and Regal and Presea sat in awkward silence, as could be expected. Regal looked at Presea. She seemed rather unmoved by the information, but knowing how to read her, Regal knew she was just as disturbed as he was.

Regal finally spoke. "I don't know what I can do to help you with Derris-Kharlan... but as for looking for Lloyd..." The group seemed to simultaneously lean in with anticipation. "He did stop in at Altamira and stayed at the hotel for about half a night, as far as I know." He whispered something to Presea, and she immediately vacated the room. "I never got to talk to him personally. The only thing he did while in town was sleep, as far as I know. But that was... man... it must've been about... seven or eight months ago."

"More recent than any information we've gotten so far," Raine sighed. "No one in our group has heard from him in nearly three years."

Sheena sighed. "That's not... exactly true. He swept through my village about a year and a half ago."

"Really? Did you get a chance to talk to him?" Colette inquired immediately.

Sheena shook her head. "He was only there for a few hours."

Presea hustled back into the room and handed a small folder to Regal. "Thank you." He nodded his head to her and she sat down again. "Oh... seems I was wrong about one thing. He did a bit more than sleep. He stopped at the store above the hotel and bought some basic supplies. Nothing special. He was apparently just stocking up like we used to. It seems he also left in the middle of the night, leaving a thank you note and his rent for the room."

"Left in the middle of the night?" Genis repeated.

"He most likely didn't want to attract attention," Kratos suggested.

Regal shrugged. "Dunno, but a few of the guards at the hotel saw him head west. That's about all."

"Well, it's the most recent information we've got so far. Maybe if we can figure out where he was heading..." Colette put a finger to her chin.

"West?" Raine exclaimed. "The West includes nearly all of Tethe'alla and Sylvarant! How the hell are we supposed to figure out where he was headed?"

Kratos shrugged. "But it's our only lead. We might as well check around the nearest western towns and see if we come upon anything else. If we come to a dead end, we'll decide what to do from there."

"Sounds like a plan, Papi! You coming, Dandy?" Zelos turned enthusiastically to Regal and Presea.

Regal blushed madly, and gave Zelos a nasty look. He nodded and stood, swiping his cuffs off the table and stomping toward the elevator. "Let's go Presea."

_To be continued..._

* * *

Bijin: That's all for now. Hope you guys are enjoying this as much as I'm enjoying writing it! Bye now! Oh! And review! 

**Next Chapter: Chasing a Murderer**


	4. Chasing a Murderer

Lloyd-forever: Yeah... I suppose you have to wait, considering I'm updating this kinda in doses. So congratulations on waiting. Good job. Here's a kiwi for your trouble. But yeah, I'm glad this is holding your interest.

Jana Yggdrasil: I thought that would be an interesting flavor to the story. it took me a while to figure out, but whatever. XD Glad you are liking it!

Enjoy teh chappy!

* * *

**Chapter 4: Chasing a Murderer**

The group quickly made its way outside, Regal speaking with George for a moment as he left, and the group took off on the rheairds, headed west. After a short and mostly silent flight, Kratos pointed toward the ground. "Look there... Heimdall... think that could've been his destination?"

Raine shrugged. "Couldn't hurt to check." They came to a rest before the formidable trees of the Ymir forest and after spending a few hours meandering through the intricate pathways that made up the route to the village; they arrived at the gate, greeting the two significantly more friendly guards who stood watch. In this day and age, they no longer demanded to know your race, but merely inquired as to your business. Kratos stepped up.

"I wish to speak with the village elder about something urgent. Please tell him it is an old friend of his," Kratos requested, giving a slight bow and one of the guards hustled off to speak with said man. The others entered the village and began to wander about the area at the entrance.

"It certainly looks better here than it used to," Genis pointed out, looking around the nearest buildings. Indeed, the village had flourished. Once-collapsing homes and shops had been rebuilt and seemed to be working perfectly. Elves still seemed to be the only inhabitants, but they themselves were not shunned as they had once been for infiltrating the village. The nearby spring trickled happily and several animals and a few elven children played about nearby, splashing water on each other from time to time.

Regal nodded. "The Lezareno Company made this village a top priority in our revitalization projects. We really wanted to help this village after it had been destroyed by Yggdrasil's attack on the Tower of Salvation."

Zelos chuckled. "Yeah... the King meant to send a message of thanks to you for all your help over here but... ummm... we forgot."

"I can see how important it was to you," Presea mumbled sarcastically.

"Hey!" Zelos cried. "I'll have you know we do important stuff in Meltokio. I'm a busy man."

"Yeah whatever," Genis chuckled.

Colette seemed suddenly disengaged as she looked around the area. "Hey guys... isn't it interesting?" The group gave her an odd stare. "If Lloyd really did visit this town, he didn't touch it. And he didn't touch Altamira. Maybe the stories you keep hearing are just rumors after all."

Sheena shrugged. "Maybe, Colette. But remember that Lloyd hasn't destroyed every village he's ever been too. Sometimes... he simply leaves a mark." She sighed.

Kratos raised an eyebrow at Sheena, but dismissed it and looked up as the guard sent off to speak with the elder returned and ushered them toward the elder's house.

"Good to see you, my old friend!" The elder elf cried as Kratos made his way inside, the rest of the group silent and on his heels. Kratos gave a faint smile and gave the man a firm handshake.

"Good to see you as well," Kratos returned. "I'm afraid our news and business is rather dire and time runs short. I must speak with you quickly. You no doubt remember Lloyd Irving, correct?"

He nodded. "How could I ever forget that young man? He truly saved us all. It's absolutely awful the things they say about him these days."

Kratos nodded. "Indeed. My companions and I are actually on a quest to find Lloyd. We got a tip from Altamira that he was headed west. We were wondering if he was headed here. Do you know if he stopped in here at any time recently?"

The elder took a mere few seconds to consider the question before answering. "Why yes. Not exactly recently. He stopped in Heimdall around seven or eight months ago."

"Then he didn't destroy anything!" Colette cried excitedly.

The elder shook his head. "No, he didn't. Well... There was something about a vase, but nothing serious. You'd have to speak with the guard that was on duty when he left about where he went. As far as I know, he paid for a room, bought some armor from the blacksmith, and stayed about half the night. That's all I know."

"Who is the guard and where does he live?" Raine inquired immediately.

The elder pointed to his left. "He lives on the east side of town. But he only works night shifts, so he sleeps during the day. You'll have to catch him sometime tonight. Why not stay in the village until you can talk with him? You and your companions are always welcome here, Kratos."

Kratos smiled and gave a bow. "I thank you deeply, Elder. We will take you up on that offer." He turned. "We'll stop by the hotel tonight. Until then, I'll be in the woods. I'm going to simply train a little bit. I have gotten a little rusty during my time on Derris-Kharlan."

Raine nodded. "Meet us at the hotel around eleven, alright?"

Kratos nodded and was gone.

* * *

"Lloyd Irving?" The guard repeated as the group crowded around his guard post. "Yeah. I remember him. He's not one easily forgotten. Tall guy wearing red and black with brown hair and sometimes wings, right?" 

Kratos approached as Raine nodded. "That's him. What can you tell us about his stay here?"

He shrugged. "Not much. He was a pretty nice guy for a dark lord. I wouldn't suspect him of being evil." Colette growled, but Raine held out a hand to keep her quiet. "Either way, he left about midnight. He's pretty good at sneaking around so he kinda freaked me out when he left. I just knocked over a vase when he startled me, but other than that, nothing happened. He headed into the forest on the west side of town, and I haven't seen him since."

Raine crossed her arms. "So he left in the middle of the night, huh?" He nodded. "Just like in Altamira."

"He's a wanted man, remember? He probably wanted to be able to disappear without people being able to track him," Regal suggested.

"And I know what he was doing in the forest back there," Kratos claimed, motioning toward the forest. "Come with me." The group rounded the water tower and headed back into the forest, following Kratos until they reached a small clearing south of where Kratos and Lloyd had faced off in a fight for the seal of Origin. Once there, he knelt on the ground and pressed a few fingers to the dirt before him. "There are two mana signatures here. One of a half-elf... and one of an angel."

"Lloyd?" Colette guessed.

Kratos nodded. "Yeah. The signature of the angel is very like my own. It is most likely Lloyd's. Also... if you look closely, there are two sets of shoe prints. Lloyd met with a half-elf here, but there's really no way to tell how old these are. Lloyd's mana is very strong and the overflow from his feet has preserved the shoe prints."

"So Lloyd met with someone not from Heimdall. But why would they choose this forest to meet?" Raine inquired of no one.

"Heimdall is rather isolated. If they were meeting in secret, this would most likely be a good place," Zelos pointed out. Raine gave him an odd look. He shrugged. "What? I know the economy and status of these places, what's wrong with that? It's kind of part of my job."

"Either way... We're kind of at a dead end here." Kratos stood. "We need to decide our next move before we head to bed."

Zelos raised his hand. "I know! Meltokio has hundreds of records in our archives. We've got more information on Lloyd than anyone else on the Neo World. We might be able to find out more about his whereabouts there."

Raine nodded. "Anyone against that?"

There was silence.

Regal nodded. "Good. Then we'll head out in the morning. We should get to bed and get some good sleep before tomorrow."

The group turned to leave, but Kratos placed a hand on Sheena's shoulder as she left. "Hold on, Sheena. I would like to talk to you for a moment."

Sheena turned guiltily toward Kratos and sighed. "Yes?"

Kratos crossed his arms. "I don't need angel senses to tell that something about Lloyd bothers you. And your comment earlier proves that something happened while he was in Mizuho." Sheena looked down and Kratos continued. "What happened, Sheena?"

Sheena took a long moment to breathe steadily and then spoke. "He stopped by the village about a year and a half ago. He seemed to be friendly enough at first, but then... The exsphere he wears on his hand... he activated it, and it blew down two of our houses and ended up killing one of the women nearby. When I asked him how he could do that... and he gave me this look." Sheena stared into space for a long moment, as if trying to communicate silently the full effect of the look. "And he said... 'I care nothing for this village or anything of my old life. Why should it matter to me what happens here?'" She looked down. "And then he left."

Kratos sighed, and the two fell into an uncomfortable silence. Finally, Kratos spoke softly. "I cannot account for Lloyd's actions or what he has said. But from what I have heard, there is more to Lloyd than people realize. I think you should give him another chance to prove who he is. That's my opinion, but personally... you should preserve your judgment until you actually talk to him." He placed a hand on her shoulder and headed back to the village, leaving her alone with her thoughts.

_I hope you're right about him, Kratos. I want to believe there's more to him as well... but after what he did to my village, it's difficult._

* * *

The next morning found the group huddled around the desk of the archives building in Meltokio, watching Zelos exercise his interesting way of gaining access. He flashed a grin to the receptionist. "Morning Miraiah. Just stopped by to get some information on a Lloyd Irving-Aurion." He tapped his fingers on the desk a little. "I just would like a print out of any information that the archives have concerning Lloyd." Miraiah gave him a hesitant look, but he waved a hand at her. "Don't worry about it. Don't you trust me?" He whined, giving her a pair of liquid eyes. 

Miraiah simply stared at him. "Not really, no."

Zelos sighed. "Why do I always get that?"

"I wonder," Sheena and Raine muttered in unison.

Zelos laid his head on the counter. "See how I am treated with these ruffians? Don't you feel a little sorry for me?" He gave her another puppy-eyed stare.

Miraiah rolled her eyes. "After all the hitting you do on me, no. Not a bit. But I'm required to give you the info considering your influence with the King."

Zelos gave her a slight bow. "You're a jewel, Miraiah."

"Yeah yeah." Miraiah snatched a few papers off the printer after a moment and shoved them into his hands, shooing him away from the counter. He returned to the group, leafing through several papers until he pulled a few out.

"Just a few sightings. Someone else want to look at these?" He handed one off to Kratos and one off to Sheena. The others crowded around the two of them and the scanning began. Zelos was the first to speak up with a discovery. "Here are a few of the charges against him. He's charged with the destruction of at least five villages, with considerable damage done to at least a dozen others. There are several counts of murder as well. The guy's a monster."

Kratos shook his head. "I don't care what those things say or what anyone else says. I'm not drawing any conclusions until Lloyd himself gives us his side of the story. Anything else is the discrimination that is the reason Lloyd, Yuan, and I are the only ones left on this world with any angel blood left in us."

Zelos sighed and returned to checking through his group of files. Sheena suddenly let out a cry of discovery and pointed at her papers. "Here's a record from just last week. Lloyd applied for a renewal on his Hakonesia Peak pass. That means he was at Hakonesia Peak just last week."

"That doesn't get us anywhere," Kratos muttered, turning his page. "He could be anywhere by now. His wings can carry him faster than most people can see, remember?"

"But it does give us a starting point," Genis offered. "After all, when you pass through Hakonesia Peak, the pass you have records your arrival time and your destination. We can check the computer at Hakonesia Peak and see where he was headed."

"Nice catch, Brat!" Zelos cried, collecting the papers and flopping them back onto the counter. Miraiah rolled her eyes. "Thanks, sweetie!" He called as he ushered the rest out the door and onto the rheairds.

They began a silent flight toward the Sylvarant region and Kratos spoke quietly. "Sheena... here's something to think about... Lloyd has two very capable wings, and can use them whenever he wants, correct?"

Sheena raised an eyebrow at him. "Well... yeah. Why?"

The others seemed to perk up to listen. Regal, getting Kratos' direction, finished for him. "Then why would he go out of his way to buy a Hakonesia Peak Pass, when he could easily fly over it?"

Sheena shrugged. Zelos volunteered a response. "Well... I suppose doing that is against the law."

Kratos raised an eyebrow. "If he's as evil as everyone says... then what kind of problem would he have disobeying a law such as that when he's destroyed villages?"

There was silence.

_To be continued..._

* * *

Bijin: Twists! Aren't'cha just rivetted? Okay... I'll stop now. Yes... review and see ya later! 

**Next Chapter: Half Blood**


	5. Half Blood

Jana-Yggdrasil: Thought provoking chapters? Gashpithishness! Oh well. Glad it's making you think. Hope you're looking foreward to this chapter.

Spacemelon: Yeah. Having a story with as many possiblities as this one has just as many good points as bad points. The main of which is... though it holds the reader's interest for the most part, it's a helluva thing to plan out. This story took a realy long time to figure out completely because I wanted things to proceded in a rather logical fashion. I didn't want things to work out suddenly and coincidentally so that the story could be like the game. So yeah... that's basically it. XD

Lloyd-forever: Some of your questions about Lloyd will be answered here. As for Mithos...? You'll have to wait and see. Sorry... more waiting. Kiwi?

bentlyandtalesofsymphoniafan: I can't really give you any details about that, though I will give you mega kudos for the awesome words! As for his angeliness and his bad mojo angel skillz... you'll have to see what he does with that stuff.

Maxmagnus20019: Interesting can be a bad or good thing. I'm frightened. XD

Someone: Figured Lloyd out, huh? Maybe.

Thanks for all your reviews and enjoy the chapter!

* * *

**Chapter 5: Half Blood**

"We're looking for the records of Hakonesia Peak Pass renewals for last week, please," Zelos requested, finding it rather boring that the one operating the computer at Hakonesia Peak was a man and not a woman he could charm. The man gave him a suspicious look. "I'm Zelos Wilder. I just need access to the computer mainframe for a few moments."

Hakonesia Peak seemed rather empty at the moment, though Colette and the others knew it was only a short time before their usual crowd of tourists came through. There were a few people meandering about. Most of them waiting in a small line to get through the computer the group was mostly tying up. "Umm... we might want to hurry," she mentioned, pointing at the expressions of increasing aggravation the people in line were shooting at them.

The man shrugged at his name and stood aside. "You're on, your Highness." Zelos motioned to the chair and Raine sat down, clicking away at the database.

It took her mere moments to find the required information. "Here... Hakonesia Peak Pass renewal for Lloyd Aurion." She smirked. "I see he is trying to let that catch on. Although... that name change is probably what allowed him to get through here undetected. Since the name Aurion isn't catching on, he can use it as a disguise name." She glanced down the personal information it had recorded, and suddenly pointed at the screen. "There it is. Says here he was headed for Hima." She paused, then read further. "Here's something interesting..." She pointed at the screen. "This might've been a second reason he got through without being detected. It says here that his pass was paid for by some organization... the _Heaven Organization_." She glanced up at Zelos. "What's that?"

Zelos raised an eyebrow. "It's a research institute. It researches magitechnology. But Lloyd has never been listed among their operatives. Why would they fund his pass?"

"How would you know weather or not he works with them?" Regal inquired flatly.

Zelos tossed a look over his shoulder. "Magitechnology and its development are a major part of my jurisdiction. I know these things. _Heaven_ is one of the most reliable and powerful research facilities we have currently. But I didn't think they had anyone doing fieldwork at this point. Specifically not Lloyd. Most of the fieldwork they do is for research when they have a big project going on. At this point, they aren't working on anything too impressive. Seems kinda suspicious if you ask me."

Raine waved a hand at him. "Whatever. We can ask Lloyd when we find him. Let's head to Hima for now."

Zelos patted the receptionist on the back and the group took off for Hima, reaching the mountain village within minutes.

Colette smiled at the hustle and bustle of the growing city. "This place is lovely now. The Dragon Tours are coming along nicely. And it seems the graveyard has gotten nicer." She pointed up the hill to where they could see a sign for the Hima graveyard.

"We're not here to sightsee," Kratos muttered. "Wait here. I'll check the inn." He dashed inside and returned a few moments later. "They say he was here just yesterday and he headed northeast from here this morning. We need to move!" The group jumped onto the rheairds and took off.

"If he left here a day ago, how far could he have gotten?" Raine inquired of no one in particular, steering her rheaird away from Hima.

Kratos sighed. "He could be on the far side of Tethe'alla by now. But his mana signature is fresh. He should be somewhere near."

"So... how do we go about finding him?" Genis persisted.

"I'm thinking that the only way we'll meet up with Lloyd at this point is by chance," Regal called over.

"The chance of that is less than one percent," Presea calculated. "If he is still moving, that is. If he is standing still, our chances rise to about twenty-five percent."

"That still doesn't sound promising," Zelos whined. Sheena gave him a look and he quieted. "Anyway... how do we go about finding him?"

"Well, Krimari is just a few miles away from here," Raine suggested. "Kratos said northeast, and Krimari is over that way. Why don't we just go to all the surrounding areas and see if they've seen him? So let's go to Krimari first and ask around."

Zelos shook his head. "Not much chance of getting any info there, Your Highness."

Raine cocked her head and Regal spoke. "Why's that?"

Zelos sighed. "Have you guys forgotten? Lloyd is responsible for the destruction of that village. The only people there will be the construction crews that are rebuilding it. Anyone who lived there is in refugee shelters east of Sybak. And they've been there for months. No way any of them would have more recent info than what we got in Hima."

Colette shook her head. "We still have to try. Just because the villagers aren't there, doesn't mean the construction crew members can't help us."

Zelos gave a sigh. "I doubt we'll get anything here..."

It was mere moments before they lowered the rheairds before the crumbling ruins of Krimari, the magitechnologic machines working slowly and steadily to rebuild the buildings nearby. Colette waved down a large claw operator and he raised an eyebrow at them. "You kids shouldn't be here! This place is off limits as ordered by King Tethe'alla." He grumbled to himself, "How many more interruptions can a day have?"

Colette bowed slightly. "I'm sorry, and we will leave shortly. We are looking for someone, and we are wondering if you have seen him. Do you perchance know the location of Lloyd Irving? He's an angel that was seen in this area yesterday."

The man stared at her for a moment. "Lloyd Irving? Oh yeah... that dark lord guy everyone's talking about. You just missed him. He left here about half an hour ago. He was trying to interfere with the rebuilding, but we managed to chase him away," he answered, hopping from his machine to converse. "You guys hunters?"

"No, we're just looking for Lloyd. Do you know where he went?" Raine persisted.

The man shook his head. "He's probably hanging around here somewhere, though. He was rather persistent that he stick around."

Raine turned to Kratos. "He's probably within a mile of this area, then. Let's look around, guys!"

The group dashed away from the construction sight, Colette bowing to the crewman before heading after them.

* * *

"Damnit... Lloyd's pretty good at hiding," Genis groaned as the group came together again and collapsed into a resting pile. 

Kratos remained standing, his hands placed firmly on his hips. "And he should have his angel senses. If he were anywhere near, he would've heard us."

"We'll search some more later, but right now, let's rest for a little bit. We're not going to be in any condition to negotiate with him if we can't stand up," Sheena muttered.

"Negotiate? There's no negotiating to be done! Those stories are all lies!" Colette was on her feet again.

Sheena sent her a stern glare. "Listen... I don't want to believe that Lloyd has changed any more than you do, but until we actually meet him and get his side of the story, we have to assume that the villagers we've met are telling the truth! We don't have any evidence that it's false."

"Yes we do," Kratos muttered. Eyes turned to him. "We have the evidence of our knowledge of Lloyd. We know him better than anyone alive. Would the Lloyd you know do anything as terrible as destroy an entire village?"

Sheena growled. "No... But the Lloyd you and I know has nothing to do with this. It's been nearly four years since we last saw him. And he has been exiled and rejected from everywhere he has gone for the past three years... that's enough to drive someone over the edge... It drove Mithos over the edge, didn't it?" She looked down. "The Lloyd I know wouldn't change... but the Lloyd I know may no longer exist."

Kratos shook his head. "No... I know my son." It was odd hearing Kratos declare his relationship with Lloyd, for he was usually strictly reserved. "My son would not do anything like that. Never."

Colette smiled. "I'm with Kratos. Lloyd may change over the years, but... it's still Lloyd we're talking about. He will never stop being Lloyd Irving."

Sheena looked down. "I hope you guys are right."

Zelos sighed and leaned back on his hands. "Jeeze... we haven't even met Lloyd yet and he's already causing trouble for us. No wonder he hasn't written or contacted anyone in over three years."

Regal groaned. "You are not helping the situation by saying that, Zelos."

Zelos waved his hands at him. "Hey, just trying to state a fact. Lighten up, will you?"

Kratos' legs seemed to move on their own as he started pacing back and forth before the group, his mind distracted with questions and possibilities, attempting to calculate some logical answer, but none came. There was no solid fact to tie him down. All he had were theories. Theories on Lloyd's movement patterns and current location, theories about Lloyd's change in personality, and even a few theories about the cause of Derris-Kharlan's shift. He barely noticed the cold blade that touched the back of his neck.

"Don't move, Angel."

The group stood in a simultaneous movement of surprise. Colette took a step foreword. "Stop!"

Kratos' hands fell to his side, realizing that he was stuck as of right now. The slightest threatening movement could send the blade at the base of his skull right through his neck. "You guys followed us even out here?"

"Sure... you're the first angel we've found in years. We wouldn't let you get away that easily." He muttered darkly behind him. "Now... you'll come with us to stand trial in Castle Tethe'alla, and as for the rest of you..."

Kratos' head turned a bit in rage, and the sword's increased pressure caused his body to stiffen. "You leave them alone." As he spoke, the other two participants in Warren's gang took up positions around the rest of the group, aiming oddly shaped weapons at them that made strange humming sounds. Raine recognized it as magitechnology- though what kind, she had no idea. She growled, held out a hand to the rest and spoke softly.

"No one move. If they've got weapons of magitechnology, they most likely have enough power to wipe us all out in seconds."

Ignoring Raine, Warren spoke. "They're part of this as well, Angel. They were keeping you from us and have placed themselves in the center of the problem. Now..." He ran his eyes over each face of the group. "You have been gathering information on Lloyd Irving... he is the most infamous angel in Tethe'alla and Sylvarant. I want you to give us all the information you have on him."

"We're not obliged to give you anything, Warren," Zelos answered bravely. "The Tethe'allan government supports the angel hunts, but it will put you on trial if you kill an angel without prior notification of the King. AKA... if there is a price on their head, then you can kill them on the spot. But Kratos has no price. He was... for all tenses and purposes... dead to the Tethe'allan government. You can't kill Kratos here. Your threat is empty."

There was an air of appreciation for the pink-haired man and his knowledge of the inner workings of the government, but the air plummeted as the man held up a small piece of paper. "There is not a price on Kratos' head, but I do have permission to kill angels if I believe them to be a threat. The king trusts me enough that if I think the angel is a threat, I have full legal permission to kill it."

"Your word against mine," Zelos warned. "Are you willing to test who the king trusts more?"

The man gave him a stern look, pressing the blade harder against Kratos' skin. Kratos grunted as the blade drew blood, but no serious damage had been sustained... yet. "Now... give us the information!"

There was an exchange of glances around the area, the chain ending with Zelos, who then looked to Kratos. Kratos closed his eyes almost in submission. He was prepared to die. If that's what it cost to keep his son safe, that's what he would do. Zelos shook his head. "We're not telling you a damn thing."

The man chuckled. "You do realize that there are a total of eight of you here. I kill this angel, and you don't spare your other angel buddy. You simply leave it open for me to kill Kratos, then grab this young lady here and kill her if you still refuse. One by one, I can kill them until one of you wisens up."

Zelos growled. "So you'll bury yourself in murders. No way the King would overlook that. We're not giving you any information!"

"Fine!" The man gave a definitive growl, as if preparing to plunge the sword through the skull of his victim, but the blade did not move. His eyes had widened and dilated. He stood still, his body frozen. Finally, a deep and familiar voice growled from behind him.

"Get the hell away from my dad..."

All eyes turned to see a deep-red clothed creature behind the enemy, the tip of one of his swords pressed to the back of Warren's neck. His other material blade was seated firmly in his other hand, prepared to deploy it if needed. "Put your weapon down..."

Warren chuckled. "So... you must be Lloyd Irving. Interesting." He slowly stooped to place his sword on the ground, then boldly turned to face him, making an odd expression when their eyes met. "I thought you'd be older." Lloyd didn't answer. Warren sighed. "Not even a hello? I thought your friends at least deserved that much. From what I heard you haven't contacted anyone for the past three years. What a jerk." Lloyd still said nothing. His orange material blade was still held to the man's throat, and the man's lack of submission was beginning to get under Lloyd's skin.

Kratos took a few steps in Lloyd's direction. "Alright, Silver Fang, time for a test run." The blade was not brandished however, as Raine grabbed his shoulder. He turned slightly to glare at her. "What do you want?"

Raine's eyes narrowed. "Kratos, didn't I tell you not to move? The weapons they carry are magitechnology. You'll be of no use to anyone, especially to Lloyd, if you're dead."

Kratos growled and submitted, leaving his sword in place and watching with breath baited at Lloyd and Warren. Lloyd stared at him for a long moment. Warren sighed. "Well if you're not going to make a move..." His hand instantly had grabbed his gun and fired directly into the shoulder Lloyd was using to hold him at bay. Lloyd yelped and was gone. He appeared directly behind Warren, slashing downward and causing a deep cut across the small of his back. Warren cried out, but spun immediately and slammed his knee into Lloyd's gut. Lloyd coughed, blood sputtering from his mouth and hitting the ground hard. His grip on the swords was forcefully released, and he lay still for a moment.

"My movements..." he muttered. "Slowed because... of what?"

Warren tapped a small device on his belt. "You like it? Sybak gave it to me. It's not only a tracker, bit it's an absorption unit. Not only will it alert me when an angelic signature is nearby, but it will begin to absorb that signature and eventually, when I gather enough, it can fire small bullets of mana from the storage tank." He smirked. "Pretty nifty, huh?" He frowned then. "I've been absorbing your mana at a pretty fast rate since you appeared, and you didn't notice...?" He asked disbelievingly, "Are you really Lloyd Irving?"

"Why yes I am..." Lloyd answered, his voice still deep and rough. His irises vanished followed by his pupils, leaving his eyes a solid white. He was suddenly on his feet, glaring down the enemy's gun. Warren growled and fired several times, only to find Lloyd behind him. He whispered in his ear, "And I'll show you why I'm so infamous." In a flash of brilliant light, his giant wings burst from his back, spanning at least five feet in each direction. His hand pressed to Warren's back and with nothing more than a grunt from the half-angel, produced a ball of mana in his hand and propelled him foreword with a scream. He landed on his front and did not get up.

Lloyd made no hesitations. He grabbed his swords and dashed toward the smallest of the hunters, hearing the third fire rapidly at him. Ignoring the attempts at hitting him, he raised both his swords. "Eternal Cross!" Two blades of energy erupted from the swords, coming down on the short one with a scream. He fell backward, and glared up at Lloyd as the half-breed turned his attention on the taller one. He lifted his feet off the ground and flew directly at him, stopping about two feet in front of him to cut the gun in half, and mana suddenly littered the area around him. "Devine Judgment!" He shouted, jumping into the air and coming down to push more mana into the attack. "Falcon's Crest!"

Oddly enough, the longhaired one wasn't there. He stood several feet to the side, his position wide and his eyes passing between the short one and his fallen leader. The short one finally made it to his feet and pulled a second gun from his belt, aiming for Lloyd's head. Lloyd heard his movements and turned to him, a deadly look in his eye. He smashed the hilts of his swords together, and they became one, the longer blue Eternal sword. He brandished the sword around a few times before the two of them gathered their leader and took off. Lloyd stood straight and dismissed the Eternal Sword back into the Material blades to sheathe them.

Lloyd gave a deep respiration and turned to the group. His lips curved in a shadow of a smile. "Seems I've caused trouble for you without even meeting up with you."

There was an odd silence as the group took Lloyd in. His clothes certainly didn't look like they once did. His top was a tight red sleeveless one, hidden mostly by the long black cape that was draped over his shoulders. His pants were black, long, and baggy, tucking into large heavy-looking boots at the bottom. His brown eyes were weary and severe, putting the entire group on edge as he glanced around at all of them. His hair had grown, but it didn't look all that different. More hair hung down to tickle his face than it used to, and the longer portion of his hair that couldn't be spiked upward was caught in a thin ponytail at the base of his skull, now hanging down to the small of his back.

Colette paused for a moment, regarding him, then dashed over to throw her arms around his neck. "No, it's fine!" She assured him. "It's great to see you again."

Lloyd sighed and placed a hand to the small of her back in a weak hug. He looked around at all the rest of the group, just noting that all of them were near. The sense of urgency that had settled around them was keeping things oddly quiet. His eyes finally landed on Kratos, and his eyes widened and an odd light filled them, though they were not all as friendly as they once would have been. "Dad... you're back."

Kratos felt odd warmth in his chest at the sound of Lloyd's address and he couldn't help but smile. Only once before had Lloyd brought himself to call him "Dad", and even now his use of the word was more casual than it had been before. "I sure am. And it seems things have changed since our last meeting."

Lloyd smirked. "You can say that again."

Sheena stepped foreword, her eyes fixated on his face, examining his eyes. "Lloyd...?" Lloyd blinked at her.

"Hmm?"

Sheena smiled. "Are you still the Lloyd we know?"

Lloyd shrugged. "How would I know that? I can't keep tabs on myself, you know."

Sheena sighed. _Maybe it wasn't your angel blood that changed you, though._

He felt a small tug on his left wing and glanced to Genis. "No kidding." The half-blood muttered, tugging on the wing again. "These wings are amazing."

Lloyd's eyes widened. "Genis?" he muttered, turning and allowing his wings to vanish. "Is that you?"

Genis laughed. "Of course it's me. Who else would it be?"

Lloyd put his hand to the top of his head, then tapped his own head, indicating that they were now equal in height. His hand then sunk to his torso, indicating Genis' previous height. Genis blushed. "So I grew a little! What did you expect?"

Lloyd shook his head. "I don't know. The Genis I knew was kind of a shrimp. It's surprising to see him so tall."

Genis rocked his head back and forth. "Ha ha... very funny."

Lloyd turned his attention on the group. "What are all of you doing here? It's odd enough to see all eight of you in one place, but why are you here, Dad?"

Kratos sighed. "That is the reason we have been looking for you, Lloyd. And I must say you are a tough one to track down."

Lloyd shrugged. "You can probably guess the reason for that. I trust you've been around here long enough to get a brief history lesson. Not to mention those hunters were after you."

Kratos waved his hand. "I'm fully aware of the situation, Lloyd, but we need to talk to you."

"Me first!" Zelos pushed past Sheena and fixed Lloyd with a stern look. "You've got some explaining to do."

Lloyd raised an eyebrow as Colette gave his long red hair a tug. "Zelos, he just saved us. You shouldn't talk to him like that." She headed over to where their bags were kept near the rheairds as Zelos continued.

"I'll accept that you are in some way like the Lloyd we used to know... but what I don't understand is all the destruction you've caused. You're responsible for the destruction of five villages, and I have to say it's been a pain in the ass trying to keep King Tethe'alla from hunting you down and slaughtering you. What the hell has been happening?"

Lloyd sighed and plopped down to sit on the ground. "You can't believe everything you hear. People will tell only the tales they want to tell, even if they only tell part of the story." The group took various places around the circle as Lloyd sighed.

Colette returned then, and dropped to her knees next to him, holding up a small white box. "Mind if I dress that shoulder?"

Lloyd stared at her for a moment and sighed, removing his cape and showing off the rather ugly wound as well as the rest of his odd shirt. Like a normal sleeveless shirt, it had a high neck, but on either side of the neck, and on his sides were the tips of large holes that ran along the back. They were certainly intentional, as if they had been that way when Lloyd got the shirt, but Colette wondered if they were for his wings. Considering the wings seeming to be of pure energy, she didn't really know why he needed holes in his shirt. Either way, seeing him dressed in the red shirt sans the cape made her blush. She shook her head and opened the box as Lloyd spoke again.

"As you all know, I've been hunting down Exspheres for nearly four years now, and my collection has reached into the hundreds. But I didn't do that on my own. I was merely the collecting agent. I was getting information from a group of half-elves that have developed magitechnology for tracking them. I believe the organization is called _Heaven_."

"Yeah... those people who funded your Hakonesia Peak Pass," Raine recalled. Lloyd raised an eyebrow and nodded.

Zelos perked up. "But they're just a research facility." He informed them for the second time. "They aren't actually inventing things right now. Or at least... they shouldn't be. The inventions are supposed to be done strictly at the lab in Sybak. The Sybak lab was converted to developing Magitechnology instead of Exspheres immediately after the naming of the Tree of Worlds. It should be the only thing actually producing magitechnology."

Lloyd shrugged. "I don't know. Is it possible they have connections to people in Sybak? The half-elves from the _Heaven_ institution were the ones that I would meet with in different places and they would give me information on new exspheres when I needed it."

Kratos put a finger to his chin. "That would explain the two signatures we found in Heimdall Forest. You met with someone from the _Heaven Institution _there, right?"

Lloyd nodded. "Yeah, but that was nearly eight months ago."

Kratos shrugged. "Well... I told you the signatures had preserved the footprints and there was no way to tell how old they were."

Lloyd continued. "Anyway... about six months ago, I told them I no longer wanted their help."

Colette raised an eyebrow. "What? Why? Wouldn't it be of great use to you to have their help?"

Lloyd looked to the ground. "It would... yes. But I didn't trust them anymore. They started asking me questions at our meetings. I told them no questions about the Exspheres were to be asked, but they persisted. I eventually found out they were slowly trying to gain information on the whereabouts of my Exsphere stores. I began to believe that they were perhaps using me to get their hands on the Exspheres and were tired of waiting for me to turn any in." He growled. "Turns out I was right. And since I know so much about their organization, they couldn't simply let me escape with such information. Disguised as Angel Hunters, they attacked me in certain cities, resulting in fights that destroyed the entire surrounding areas."

Zelos' eyes lit up. "And since people already believed that you were evil, they weren't about to blame the ones who were trying to kill you. Therefore, only the stories of your involvement survived, leading to the belief that you were evil."

Lloyd nodded. "I will admit I'm not quite the same Lloyd Irving you once knew, but my change has not been so drastic as that." He glanced around at the group. "Now what's going on here? Why is everyone getting together all of a sudden?"

Kratos sighed and took a few minutes to explain the current situation, Lloyd's face growing more severe with every word. As Kratos spoke, Sheena stared at Lloyd. He certainly didn't look as one would think a man of evil would. His eyes bore no black circles to make them darker, and his voice was not booming and filled with malice. But there was something different about him. That was for sure. The excitement that had once driven them crazy was gone from his voice, and his eyes didn't sparkle as they once had. He did not rush around and give each of them hugs, asking about their life in the past few years. He did not greet them but with a sigh. Her reverie was broken by his words. "So what do you want me to do?"

Zelos shrugged. "Everyone figured that if we all got together, we might be able to come up with some way to stop it from crashing into us."

Lloyd looked down. "But do we even know what caused it?"

Raine leaned back. "Well, Lloyd. You get around a lot more than we do. Do you know of anyone who might have the information that could help us figure this out?"

"We can't even go that far yet." Lloyd shook his head. "We really don't know much about what happened even from Dad's standpoint." He turned to Kratos. "Do you remember anything about the two explosions besides the fact that they occurred? Any type of cause for the explosions?"

Kratos wracked his brain. "I can't really think of anything. Magitechnology doesn't just blow up like that. Something must've either hit it or triggered it."

Raine rubbed her chin slightly. "Well... is it possible that the machines on Derris Kharlan malfunctioned and detonated?"

Kratos shook his head. "I did routine system checks. All the engines were in perfect working order. Nothing in there could've caused an explosion."

"There's definitely no way that something could've triggered it," Regal noted suddenly. "There is nothing on this earth that could send a signal out into space that far. And besides, someone would've had to plant a device on Derris-Kharlan before it left the Neo World, and not only are we sure no one did, but if they had somehow snuck a bomb onto the engines, Kratos would've spotted it in his checks."

"Meaning it had to have been hit by something." Presea muttered. "A meteor perhaps?"

Kratos shook his head. "Not unless two meteors hit it simultaneously and managed to hit it at just the right angle and with enough force to send it directly in this direction."

Lloyd sighed. "Considering those facts... it seems intentional. There was intelligence in the way the planet was hit, meaning there could be someone actually behind it." He looked to Kratos. "Dad... you said that there were two explosions, and they occurred at the same time?"

Kratos nodded, and Raine spoke up. "So... the blasts, whatever they are, were aimed at a precise enough angle to cause the explosions to propel Derris-Kharlan directly at us. Meaning there was most definitely intent behind it. Nature doesn't make those kinds of things up."

"But that could blow up the entirety of the Neo World. Why would someone do that?" Genis demanded, motioning around them.

"Well... insanity can do weird things to people... but if this planet has the means to send blasts like that out, I'd say our best hope right now is to find that mean and use it to redirect Derris-Kharlan. We could change the angle, using the same method they used to calculate the first angle, and send a blast to redirect it." Lloyd suggested.

"But where would we end up with that kind of force?" Colette inquired of the group in general.

Sheena shrugged. "There's really only one thing on this earth that can produce that kind of blast, and that would be a cannon made by magitechnology. We know it wasn't done by a summoner using the summon spirits since I have pacts with all the summon spirits and am the only one who can summon them."

Kratos nodded. "That would be assuming the thing sent into space to impact Derris-Kharlan was a mana cannon."

"Two mana cannons." Lloyd corrected. "Two blasts... two extremely powerful blasts sent into space."

Zelos stood. "Well... there's only one organization that currently has authorization to produce magitechnology, and that's the institute in Sybak. It has lots of bases all over Sylvarant and Tethe'alla, but all of them report to the headquarters in Sybak. I'd say that would be a good place to start."

Lloyd nodded and stood. "Alright. Let's move."

Kratos sighed. _I suppose that aspect has changed about him. He doesn't get over excited. Almost... under excited._

_To be continued..._

* * *

Bijin: Voila! I get to write for Lloyd again! Hope you guys weren't too disappointed about the Lloyd thing. he's not the same, but I didn't see it in Lloyd to become something as bad as a threat to society. But don't worry. Our issues with Lloyd have not finished. As for his reasoning and stuff, stay tuned. Review please! 

**Next Chapter: Sybak and Heaven**


	6. Sybak and Heaven

Jana-Yggdrasil: Lloyd being a villain? Sounds cool. As for Lloyd's true intentions and reasoning behind destroying all that stuff... you'll have to see for yourself. And watch that schizophrenic side. Those things can be a hassle.

Maxmagnus20019: Glad you think so. Thanks.

lloyd-forever: I gave him clothes like a dark lord. Does that work?

bentlyandtalesofsymphoniafan: Reasoning? I need no such thing! okay... maybe I do. You'll have to wait and find out.

Thanks for the reviews! Keep it up!

* * *

**Chapter 6: Sybak and Heaven**

"Welcome to Sybak... the magitechnological capital of the Neo World," Zelos announced, waving his arms at the city around them.

"Wait a minute!" Colette cried, effectively stopping the advance. Though she was no longer the chosen, she still seemed to easily command attention. The group turned to look at her with a unified gaze. "What about Lloyd? Someone might see him."

"If he hides his wings, he should be alright," Raine shrugged.

Kratos put a hand on her shoulder. "That depends on weather or not people around here know his face."

"I'd say they do," Zelos muttered, standing over by the billboard nailed to the side of the Inn. On a small piece of paper what looked like a wanted poster, Lloyd's face displayed handsomely on the front. "At least you don't look like a freak this time."

"No... He looks like a Dark Lord," Genis pointed out. True, the picture was accurate in terms of facial structure and hairstyle, but heavy black bags underlined his eyes, and the scowl on his face made him look simply like death warmed over.

"Well... that's freaky," Lloyd mused.

Regal poked Zelos' shoulder. "I thought you said Lloyd didn't have a price on his head."

Zelos waved him away. "He doesn't. He's wanted alive, and there's no reward. This is a warning, not an actual wanted poster. It just says he dangerous."

"Never heard of one of those before," Kratos muttered.

Zelos jabbed his thumb at Lloyd. "Angel-boy is a special case."

"Very funny," Lloyd muttered.

"So what do we do?" Colette pushed.

"Don't worry about it," Lloyd waved a hand at her, pulling a jacket from his bag and removing his cape. He stuffed the cape into the bag and shrugged himself into the jacket. The collar would effectively hide his mouth and nose, mostly concealing his identity.

Zelos pointed at his head. "What about the hair?"

Lloyd paused, then blushed and shrugged. "I have an idea!" Genis suddenly cried, pulling a small kendama from the holster at his side. Holding it up, a small gush of water fell over Lloyd's form, earning a grunt of disapproval from the half-breed. His hair now flopped messily over his brow and hung down in his face while also tickling his neck and covering his ears. "Just take out the spike," Genis finished proudly.

"Thanks a lot Genis," Lloyd growled.

"No problem!" Genis called, holstering his kendama.

"Can we go...? There's little time," Kratos muttered, taking off in the direction of the lab.

It took little more than ten minutes for the group to arrive at the lab, and at the sight of the red-haired young man, they were granted instant access. Zelos leaned casually on the counter as the manager was summoned to the front. "Ah, Zelos. Come for another inspection?"

"You that's all I have time for?" Zelos muttered. He waved his hand. "Nah. Just came here for some information. I need to know... are there any projects working right now involving a mana cannon of sorts? Or anything at all that can send a blast into space?"

The manager gave him a look that clearly showed he doubted the man's sanity, but he was obliged to divulge any information he had to him. He was the King's right-hand man, after all. "No." He shook his head. "Mana cannons are unnecessary, and even if they weren't, we would have no reason to develop one that reaches space. We don't have anything in our lab or at any of our other bases that could reach space at all." He leaned foreword. "Why do you want to know?"

Zelos stood straight and shook his hand slightly. "No reason. Thank you for your time." The group filtered out and got a safe distance away from the city before Lloyd removed his jacket and slung it over his arm.

"Dead end." Kratos muttered.

"The manager was right, though." Zelos crossed his arms. "There are no projects working right now that focus on space. We're too busy trying to build villages and keep up with Angel-boy here to work on anything too far off the ground. Even if we did have the resources and the manpower, there would be no point in developing a mana cannon that could affect things in space. That's dangerous."

Lloyd sighed. "Has anyone ever even suggested a space program before?"

Zelos shrugged. "Well... yeah. Of course. Some guy named Magar came to the King with a proposal, but it never got off the ground. Since Tethe'alla and Sylvarant are just starting to heal, he didn't want to commit ourselves to more than we could handle. We need machines that will help rebuild this land. Things for space may be in the future, but not right now. Not for another twenty years or so."

Lloyd put a hand to his chin. _Magar... where have I heard that name before...?_

Regal twiddled his thumbs absently. "So where do we go from here? Sybak was a dead end, and they're the only organization that is authorized to produce magitechnology. Who else is there?"

"Only _authorized_ organization," Lloyd muttered. "You forget. The _Heaven Organization _has been developing small units of magitechnology under the government's nose."

"Wait... how do we know that? We only know that if a mana cannon did cause those explosions, Sybak doesn't have it," Raine commented.

Lloyd held out his left hand, showing a metal device that was wrapped around the back of his hand and around the exsphere housed there. "This is something they gave me kinda early on. It focuses the power of my exsphere flow."

Zelos shrugged. "Not something Sybak developed. We authorize everything they make before they start, and we haven't authorized anything involving Exspheres since before the naming of the Tree of Worlds."

Lloyd shrugged. "We could check their Tethe'allan base to see if they have any clues for us."

"You know where it is?" Presea inquired.

Lloyd nodded. "I've only been there once or twice, but I know where it is. I normally met the _Heaven_ operatives in certain hidden locations, but there were a few times that I was close enough to their base for me to simply head to the building and meet them there. It's a few miles northwest of where the Toize Valley Mine used to be."

"So what do we do, go up to the _Heaven_ Headquarters and knock on the door?" Regal raised an eyebrow and jabbed two thumbs at Zelos. "I doubt an organization hiding their activities from the government is going to be happy to see Pinki here." Zelos just growled.

Kratos looked to his son. "Any chance you have a layout of the building to try a sneak-attack?"

Lloyd waved his hands. "Who do you think I am? I collect Exspheres and as long as they didn't ask questions, I had no reason to doubt their integrity. I didn't do any snooping. I don't know anything about that place beyond the lobby." He held up his hands. "And I'm now on _Heaven_'s execution list. I can't help you to get in."

"So I suppose a blind stealth mission is the only thing we can do right now," Presea muttered, placing her hands on her hips.

Sheena stepped foreword. "As a ninja of Mizuho, I believe I have the intuition and knowledge to point out one thing; you can't take nine people on a stealth mission through an uncharted area!"

Lloyd shrugged. "We've done it before." He thought back to their escapades on Welgaia and the amount of running in circles they ended up doing.

Sheena sighed. "Yeah, we've done it before but if you recall, eight out of the nine of us ended up nearly dying, if not for bonehead here." She pointed at Zelos. "And after that, Yggdrasil knew we were coming for him. It had ceased to be a stealth operation. Not only that, but magitechnology has flourished now. They'll have better security than Welgaia had."

"So only a few of us will go," Lloyd suggested.

Regal stepped up. "And whoever stays out here can create a diversion to draw the big guy's attention."

Lloyd nodded. "Right. I'll lead the mission inside," he volunteered.

Raine nodded. "I can lead the one out here, I suppose. That's how things used to be."

Lloyd shook his head. "No, I want you with me."

"But why?"

"If these guys are using magitechnology, the first place we'll want to look is their computer files. You're the best hacker we've got. Kratos isn't up to speed with all the latest computers, so we'll need your skills." Lloyd crossed his arms and Raine sighed, nodding.

"Then who will lead the other team?" Presea wondered of him. Lloyd seemed to have taken a leadership role in this issue and considering he knew the most about _Heaven_, it was to be expected.

Lloyd pointed to Zelos. "I want Zelos to lead the other team."

Sheena groaned. "What? Why does the Baka Chosen have to?"

Zelos wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. "You know that when I'm leader you gotta do what I say, right?"

Sheena clapped her hand across his face. "Pervert."

Lloyd sweatdropped. "Sheena, I need Zelos in charge of this. I have an idea for the distraction, and Zelos is the best one to carry it out."

Genis gave a tug on Lloyd's sleeve. "But wouldn't it be a good idea for Zelos to go warn the King about _Heaven_'s movements?"

Lloyd waved his hands. "No way! We need to keep the government out of the entire loop here! Do you realize what'll happen if the government finds out what is happening with Derris-Kharlan? We need to keep this quiet. But, Zelos' influence might help in the distraction."

Zelos crossed his arms and turned away, pouting slightly. "And here I thought you liked me."

Lloyd waved his hand at him. "Oh shut up. Listen... if Zelos goes in there and tells them that the government suspects that _Heaven_ is not simply researching magitechnology, but is also working to create it without authorization, it'll most likely put the entire place off balance enough for us to sneak in. While he's at it, perhaps he can find out more about the group who runs that place."

"So Raine and Lloyd are going in, but whom else? And who else is staying with Zelos?" Colette inquired softly of no one in particular.

Lloyd pointed at Kratos. "Dad, you stay with Zelos." Kratos gave him an odd look. "Zelos is probably going to induce quite a commotion, and if things get out of hand, I want your strength to be there to help." He then looked to Sheena. "Sheena, you're with Raine and I. You're a ninja, so you have more knowledge of stealth missions than any of us. We could use your skills."

"Sure thing." Sheena flashed a thumbs up to Lloyd, happy to be relieved of perhaps having to spend the time with Zelos in command.

Zelos' expression was suddenly rather deflated.

Lloyd nodded. "The three of us should be plenty to infiltrate the base and hack into the computers." He looked to Zelos. "Your group will create a distraction by running a mock inspection and learning as much as you can about the organization itself. If you want to, you can split up into teams and also explore around the outside of the building as well."

Zelos suddenly caught the small amount of hair at the base of Lloyd's skull and gave it a tug, pulling him close. "Alright you... I'm starting to wonder if you really are a Dark Lord."

Lloyd yelped and his eyebrows came to a point as he stared up at Zelos. "You know I'm not! What the hell...?"

Zelos pointed at Raine and Sheena. "You want me to stay at the lobby and play Inspector Zelos, while you go on a stealth mission with my two hunnies? Like hell you are! I say Sheena stays here, and Papi goes with you."

Lloyd slapped his hand away. "Get off me you pervert. Listen... I didn't choose them because they're girls. I chose them because I need their skills on the mission. Don't whine!"

Zelos took a step back and looked to Raine and Sheena, his eyes liquid. "Don't leave me! It's not fair!"

Sheena waved him off. "Oh stop it. Come on guys. Let's head out." She wandered over toward where the rheairds were stored. Lloyd's hand appeared on her shoulder, and she stopped.

"You, Raine and I will fly," Lloyd stated firmly.

Sheena turned to him. "What? But how? Why? The rheairds work fine."

Lloyd pointed at himself. "Have you forgotten that I'm half-angel? And why? It's simple. When Zelos goes in to meet with _Heaven_, they're going to see six people go in. What happens if they find nine parked rheairds? They're going to easily figure out what we're up to something. We need to make it seem as if the three of us don't exist."

Zelos sighed. "And now he gets to fly around with the two of them hanging off of him. This is so unfair!"

Regal planted a well-aimed fist to the back of Zelos' head, causing the redhead to yelp, and then growl loudly at him. "So which group goes first? How exactly is this going to play out?"

Lloyd paused, putting a finger to his chin. "The thing is, since we don't really have a good idea of the layout, it's hard to say how easily Raine, Sheena, and I can get in."

Kratos raised a hand. "Lloyd, you and I could fly around and scout out the area a little bit before we leave."

Lloyd shook his head. "Not a good idea. They've got surveillance all over the place. Not to mention we don't have that kind of time."

"What kind of security?" Raine inquired, her eyes thoughtful. "I have a pretty extensive knowledge of magitechnology and I usually know how these things work. Is it outdoor heavy, or indoor heavy?"

"They have security cameras all over the outside as well as mini cannons and such. So... outdoor, as far as I can tell," Lloyd answered, nodding. "Why?"

Raine nodded. "Magitechnology, as Zelos can probably tell you, has two basic security systems. There are all different types of models, but there are two main styles of setting up a security system. Indoor heavy, and outdoor heavy."

Zelos nodded. "Indoor heavy means that about 90 of the buildings' security devices are on the inside such as cameras and things like that. Outdoor heavy means that about 90 of the security devices are on the outside of the building such as motion and pressure detectors. Outdoor heavy is much more favored these days."

"See... in order for magitechnology to work, it absorbs rather massive amounts of mana from the outside air. This isn't a problem anymore due to the Tree of Worlds' mana production. However... security systems built with magitechnology are either indoor heavy or outdoor heavy. It can't be both since the absorption rays would interfere with each other and the entire thing would collapse."

Lloyd brightened. "So what you're saying is that because it is outdoor heavy, if we can get past the security systems outside, we'll be fine once we get inside." Raine nodded.

Lloyd pointed at Zelos. "Alright, Zelos. We're counting on you to draw their attention. Talk to them for as long as you can, ask as many questions as you can. Sheena, Raine, and I will start examining the area immediately and make our move when you start talking."

Zelos flashed a thumbs up. "Sounds good to me." He sighed and tented his fingers slightly. "But I don't suppose you could leave one of the girls with me...?"

Colette bapped him on the back of the head. "What am I, a duck?"

Zelos blushed and waved his hands. "Eh... no. Sorry, my Angel," he muttered, chuckling nervously and turning to the blonde.

Regal threw his bound hands into the air. "Are we going to do this or sit around talking all day?" he inquired of the group, Presea nodding firmly at his side.

"All right already." Lloyd rolled his eyes, threw his jacket over his shoulders, and looked to Raine and Sheena. He held out his hands, one to each, and spoke. "Grab onto my wrists and I'll hold onto yours. Whatever you do, don't loosen your grip at all."

Sheena and Raine nodded, each establishing a firm grip on the young man's thick wrists. Sheena chuckled. "And here I thought we'd be hanging onto your belts or your shoulders."

Lloyd sighed. "My belts are too low on my body. The things keeping me in the air will be on my upper back, meaning the weight needs to be directly under them to fly correctly. As for my shoulders... there isn't much room up there for two people, and I need the weight to be about the same on each side of my body. Otherwise I'll lose control of my flight pattern."

Raine chuckled and flashed Sheena an arrogant smirk. "Hope you don't weigh too much more than I do."

Sheena growled as Lloyd's wings became visible with a brilliant array of lights and much ooh-ing and ahh-ing from a few members of the group. Lloyd's wings were certainly a thing to behold. They were nothing like Yggdrasil's or even Kratos'. They were like those of an eagle, long and elegant. The wingspan had to be a little over ten feet and the power that made up the wings themselves made them catch the light thrown off by the sun and caused them to glitter brilliantly. Lloyd ascended into the air, straightening his body, allowing his hands holding the two girls to hang directly below him.

"Alright... let's hope I can maintain this." Lloyd looked down to Zelos. "Don't leave until about an hour from now. The rheairds are fast, and we need to arrive a little bit ahead of you." Zelos flashed a thumbs up and Lloyd began his slow and steady flight southeast.

Raine chuckled again. "Well, it looks like you've been keeping the pounds off, Sheena."

Sheena took a mock swing at Raine, causing an imbalance and Lloyd's body could be seen wavering about in the sky, his giant wings wiggling about trying to steady him. "Oi! Knock it off! You can't do that or we'll fall!"

Sheena huffed at Raine, who merely stuck her tongue out and concentrated on hanging on.

From the ground Regal gave a sigh. "Are they going to be alright?"

Presea chuckled. "I wonder..."

_To be continued..._

* * *

Bijin: Chapter six done! Stay tuned for more! And review! 

**Next Chapter: Infiltrating the Heavens**


	7. Infiltrating the Heavens

Bijin: Alright. I finally have a chapter to update. Well... this has been written for a long time. XD And I know it's just an excuse, but my reason for not updating... here it is.

About a week ago, I was carrying a few things downstairs and slipped. I fell back and hit my head pretty hard on the corner of one of the steps. It took about half an hour for anyone to find me on the stairs, so I was taken up to my parents' room where a nurse that had come by for the lady who lives with us got a hold of my dad and suggested they take me to the hospital. we decided against that and my dad went on webmd (dot) com (highly reccommended) and we made sure I was alright. I was able to walk within a few days, but the headaches from the fall have been keeping me off the computer for a while. But I was able to write a bunch today, and I've decided it's time to get back to updating. Sorry for the delay! Okay! Time for reviewer responses!

Lloyd-forever: The Church? You lost me there. XD Anyway, thanks for reading.

Bentlyandtalesofsymphoniafan: he magitechnology thing started as my excuse to not write a bunch of sneaking in stuff. But when I thought about how they absorb mana from the air, it seemed that they could only have one or another. So my excuse turned into an actual reason. It's cool when laziness does that. XD

Jana-Yggdrasil: I love Lloyd's wings. Not only are they unique, they're frikkin cool. I wanted to be sure I had at least one time where I made people pay attention to his wings. XD

Yep! Hope you are enjoying so far! Time for chapter 7!

* * *

**Chapter 7: Infiltrating the Heavens**

Lloyd's brown eyes dashed over the building's structure, scanning every crevice, every device that was placed on the side. He had been doing this for a good while now, trying to get a feel for what the building looked like close up. It didn't take much to see it from far away. It was a rather huge building, standing at lest twenty stories high, and Lloyd wondered if a building of such stature was often used for strict research purposes. But it only seemed as if the first three or four stories were actually useable. The rest of the building seemed to taper slightly, becoming thinner as it climbed. The government had a bad tendency to be flashy that drove Lloyd crazy sometimes. His ears picked up the sound of nearly silent footsteps as Sheena approached and knelt beside him. Raine joined him on his other side.

"I found a ventilation shaft on the north side. It's guarded a bit, but we should be able to make it through if we move quickly," Sheena informed him. Lloyd nodded and turned to Raine.

"I looked around the ventilation shaft. There aren't any cameras, but there are pressure sensors on the ground leading up to it. Oddly enough, there aren't any guards."

Lloyd nodded. "It would look suspicious if they had guards patrolling the area around a research facility."

Raine jabbed her thumb north. "And Zelos' team should be here soon. I saw their rheairds start a large circle around to the south side of the building, where the main entrance is."

Lloyd smiled. "Perfect." He took a moment to place a finger to his chin. "I know we've already established that there's more going on with this research place than it seems, but what I'm wondering is how the hell _Heaven_ kept the government in the dark for so long. For god's sake, the entire place screams 'go away'."

Sheena shrugged. "If you look at it with the right eye. The problem is, the government's eye is constantly on Sybak where the research is actually put to use. Never mind where the research came from in the first place. It didn't pay enough attention to this little thing."

Lloyd pointed to the tower-shaped building. "You call that little?" he inquired flatly.

Sheena blushed. "Well... not really, but you know what I mean."

Raine sighed, leaning back. "We might as well park it until we see Zelos' group go in. We need them to start a commotion first." She glared up at the sky. It seemed so peaceful as evening fell, casting dark shadows across the land stretched out before her. Oddly enough, it was the same peaceful sky that she stared at now that would shoot forth the planet of Derris-Kharlan and destroy everything that surrounded her. Considering the damage it would do... Raine gave Lloyd a questioning look. "You know... we haven't even touched on the idea of intent. We know someone most likely used a mana cannon to redirect Derris-Kharlan toward the Neo World. But why the hell would they want to do that?"

"Insanity?" Lloyd suggested, shrugging.

"You can't just shrug it off as craziness, Lloyd. A lot of planning went into turning Derris-Kharlan around. How could an insane person do that?"

Lloyd picked at something in his teeth, pulling his coat from his shoulders and flopping it onto the ground below him. "Just cause they're crazy doesn't mean they don't have their own talents. Besides... all it takes is crazy ideals and stuff like this can happen."

Raine nearly stood. "How can you be so nonchalant right now? This planet is about to be destroyed, and you're just trying to brush it off your shoulder!"

Lloyd gave her a stern look she hadn't seen from him before. "That's precisely why I am calm, Raine. The planet is about to be destroyed and unless we figure out something, there's nothing that can be done. Even if we follow through on redirecting Derris-Kharlan, that'll take a level head to calibrate. We can't freak out like everyone else on this planet would." He paused. "That's why we are taking it into our own hands... because I truly believe we can handle the pressure like other's can't. We've dealt with games that set people's lives as the stakes before, and I have a feeling we'll win again this time. But we can't spend our time throwing our hands in the air and panicking."

Raine sighed and bowed her head. "Sorry..."

* * *

"I still don't see why he got two of the girls to himself," Zelos whined, bringing his rheaird to rest near the southern entrance of the building. 

"Will you stop whining?" Regal commanded. Kratos simply rolled his eyes.

"Not that I want you fawning all over me, but... I'm a girl too, you know," Colette pointed out bitterly. "And so is Presea."

Presea crossed her arms. "Leave me out of this."

Kratos slapped a hand to his own face and pressed his hands to Zelos' back. "Can we get on with this please? Lloyd, Raine, and Sheena are waiting."

"Yeah..." Zelos agreed. "Without me!" Kratos gave him a hearty shove, and the redhead shut up. Zelos craned his neck to see the top of the tower that sat on the building. "Jeezu... I've never been here before, and this place looks insane."

Genis, who had been quiet up until this point pointed up. "Do research laboratories usually have watch towers that high?"

Zelos stopped walking, much to the growling of Kratos, but the angel was ignored. "It's not a watch tower. Watch towers have roofs and windows. That thing has nothing of the sort." Zelos pointed upward.

Genis crossed his arms. "Isn't magitechnology under your jurisdiction, Zelos?"

"Of course it is! Why do you think I have access to all these files?"

Kratos rubbed his temples, completing Genis' thought. "So why is it that you know so little about this research laboratory?"

Zelos turned now and growled at Kratos and Genis. "Look... I get my reports from Sybak and Sybak only. Someone at Sybak was meant to be in charge of keeping an eye on _Heaven_. I have too many things on my shoulders in Meltokio to pay attention to every little laboratory in Tethe'alla or Sylvarant."

"But why? Why isn't this laboratory under heavier surveillance?" Colette inquired, looking around. "It's quite big."

Zelos shook his head. "Not really. This place, despite the tower, is rather small compared to other research laboratories. This is just one building. Most research places have entire complexes."

Kratos sighed. "Okay... we've established it's suspicious. Can we go now? Lloyd is waiting."

Zelos waved his hand. "Alright alright!" He turned and reached to open the door. "You know what I was just thinking?"

"WHAT?" The group cried, tired of his stalling.

"Calm down... jeezu." He stuck a pinky in his ear and wiggled it. "Look... I look like someone sent from Meltokio, but you all just look like... fighters. It's gonna make them suspicious."

"Isn't that the point?" Regal inquired flatly.

Zelos clapped a hand to his forehead. "Aye-ya..." He looked to Genis. "Alright, you look fine. Kratos, you're pushing the line with those pants, but you're all right. Just try to hide your sword." Kratos groaned and Silver Fang vanished beneath his cape. Zelos turned his attention to Colette. "You are kind of a diplomat, so I'm not worried about you. You look gorgeous as always." Colette rolled her eyes. "But Regal... you're gonna have to take off those shackles. You look like a convict. And don't you have anything else to wear besides that shirt?"

Regal blushed and looked down. "I wasn't aware when we left that I would have to be playing Mr. Bryant, alright?" He held his hands down to Presea, who quickly unlocked the shackles binding his wrists. "Thanks, Presea." He clicked the shackles onto a belt loop and sighed. "We may get into a fight and I need them if that happens."

"Alright... whatever... you need a different shirt."

Regal blushed again, and turned, running back to the rheairds to retrieve a full solid white shirt, pulling it over his head as they neared. "Does this work?" he groaned.

Zelos waved at him. "It's fine, it's fine. And Presea is adorable as ever. All right. We're ready to go now!" Zelos now charged directly into the lobby, startling the receptionist, who raised an eyebrow at all the intruders.

Gathering her wits, she smiled and said, "Sorry... No tours today."

Zelos shook his head. "No need, Miss." He flashed her a grin that made her face go red. "We're here for a little inspection. The King has heard some odd rumors, and he sent me to check it out."

The girl looked taken aback. "Huh? But we never received any notice."

Zelos leaned on the counter and sighed. "You know how it is. If the King believes you have something to hide, he won't give you time to hide it again before we get here. So!" He stood straight and looked around. "Where's your leader-guy? We need to have a talk."

The receptionist stared at him for a moment. "Uhh... I'll... call him, I suppose. May I ask your name, sir?" she inquired.

Zelos jabbed a thumb at himself. "Zelos Wilder!"

The girl jumped a bit, hearing the name of the former chosen, and picked up her phone, punching a few numbers and waiting. Zelos flashed her a thumbs up and turned to Kratos. "Picking anything up?" he whispered.

"I heard Lloyd, Sheena, and Raine spot us and they've headed in. Also..." Kratos leaned in closer. "There are men here. In the lobby. Guards. I can hear the clicking of weapons. Be on your guard."

Zelos nodded and turned back to the desk._ Looks like this is a bit more dangerous than we thought._

* * *

Sheena jabbed her finger at the entranceway. "There's Zelos and the others. Let's go." 

Lloyd nodded and the three swiftly made their way around to the northern side of the building. Sheena pointed out the small ventilation shaft mentioned earlier. "There's the shaft, but I'm not sure how to get there."

Lloyd looked to Raine. "What kinds of devices are around it?"

Raine pointed across the lawn to a small black box wedged against a bush, and then to an identical black box not five meters from them. "Those are pressure gauges. They'll go off if someone steps on the area that they cover. Each one covers about ten feet, so there's a small piece of land right in front of the shaft that isn't covered. If we can somehow get there without stepping on the ground, we should be alright."

"Easier said than done," Sheena sighed.

Lloyd sat up straight. "I have an idea." He looked to Raine. "Exactly how large is the area in front of the ventilation shaft that's not covered?"

Raine shrugged. "Rough guess... about two feet by two feet. Why?"

Lloyd nodded. "Alright..." He looked to Sheena. "You happen to have any rope with you?"

Sheena gave him a look. "Umm... I'm a ninja. Of course I have rope. What are you up to?"

Lloyd shook his head as the rope was placed in his hand and his wings burst from his back. "Wait here." He lifted off the ground, his wings moving swiftly and gently. He allowed his feet to touch the ground not a foot away from the ventilation shaft, tying the rope around one of the rungs of the cover and then lifting off again, pulling on the rope and taking the cover with him. He floated back to where the girls waited, coiling the rope up and tucking the cover under one of his arms. He offered his free hand to Sheena. "Grab on. You'll be in the lead. Don't start moving until I tell you to. While you're in there, we have to be silent, so we'll be following your lead. Once you find an empty room that has some kind of computer in it, go ahead and enter. We'll follow." Sheena nodded and grabbed hold of his wrist once again. Lloyd lifted her off the ground and lowered her down directly in front of the ventilation shaft. She bent down and quickly maneuvered her body into the small opening, Lloyd abandoning her to work and flew back over to grab Raine. "I'll follow behind you," he muttered. Raine nodded and they lifted off, Lloyd also lowering her into place. Once she was all the way in, Lloyd descended to the ground, banishing his wings and retying the rope on the cover so the rope was fed into the inside of the shaft. He lowered himself in and quickly followed Raine's crawl, pulling the cover shut as he did.

They crawled for what seemed like an eternity until Sheena suddenly stopped, staring downward into a small room, a few computers pressed against the wall. She grunted silently at the man bustling about the monitors, checking this and that. There was only one of them, so perhaps they could knock him out...

"Moeku," a deep male voice boomed from another part of the room, most likely the door.

The man at the monitors looked toward the source of the voice. "Ne?"

"Government is here all of a sudden. King's right-hand man showed up. Magar wants everyone off duty and in the labs now. We're sealing off this sector," the voice continued.

_Magar...?_ Sheena's mind muttered to itself. The room was quickly vacated and the lights shut off. Sheena chuckled. _Nice, Baka Chosen._ After waiting a few more moments to allow them to get away enough not to hear their movements, Sheena kicked open the shaft and dropped into the room, glancing around. Raine and Lloyd soon followed, glancing around the darkened room for a moment before Sheena flipped the lights on. "Seems as though Zelos is doing his job."

Lloyd shrugged. "I figured he would. He is rather dependable."

"Predictable, you mean," Sheena groaned.

"Shh!" Raine hissed. "We don't know if others are near. Let's get this over with." She quickly booted up a computer and began typing away, hacking into the mainframe. "Okay... what are we looking for?"

Lloyd shrugged. "Well... technically, we're looking to see if _Heaven_ has developed a mana cannon capable of affecting space." He pointed to an icon in the corner labeled 'Projects'. "Check there."

The folder was opened and Rain immediately clicked on a subject labeled 'Commissions'. There were hundreds of files all over, and Lloyd felt his hopes plummet. "Damn these guys do a lot of stuff."

Raine flipped down a menu at the top and ran a search. "Subject... mana cannon," she muttered, typing in said words. Only one subject resulted and Raine dashed inside. Her eyes scanned over the statistics, going wide after a moment. "This is a commission from a year and a half ago. The mana cannon in this is already built."

Sheena looked to Lloyd. "I thought we were looking for two mana cannons."

Raine shrugged. "Only one is commissioned here." She froze. "Oh my god... Lloyd... look at these dimensions."

Lloyd squinted at the screen, his face loosing all pallor. "Oh my god... that's as big as a building. But where would they be hiding something like that? If it's that big, wouldn't the government know about it?"

Sheena waved at Lloyd and Raine. "Not if they didn't know it was a mana cannon." Lloyd raised an eyebrow. Sheena continued. "It's this building... Don't you remember? Looking at this building, the tower had no windows... nor even a roof... as if it was open at the top."

Lloyd shook his head. "You've got to be kidding me. This whole damn building is a mana cannon?"

Raine nodded. "Look at this output. It's capable of at least 12 million mana units per square foot. That's enough to shoot a beam..."

"... Right into space," Lloyd finished. "Damn! Then it was _Heaven_ who sent that beam."

"But there were two," Sheena pointed out. "Where's the other one?"

"At the other Heaven HQ in Sylvarant. It's east of Palmacoasta, in a little rivet in the mountains." Lloyd answered. "Never even been to that one, but I've seen it while flying toward Palmacoasta. It's identical to this one."

Raine glanced back to the computer. "So they really did have enough energy and the equipment to fire a beam into space and redirect Derris-Kharlan," She muttered. "But we can't prove that unless we get some kind of information that they actually fired it."

Lloyd waved his hands at the screen. "Well... knowing that they built two giant mana cannons will be enough to incriminate them against the government, but these files might have the orders to fire somewhere on them."

Raine retreated back to the main screen and sifted about. Lloyd suddenly pointed at the screen. "There... a records folder." Raine charged ahead, opening the folder and sifting through the file collections within.

"Ah. Orders." She clicked on the file collection and they were once again faced with a nearly innumerable amount of information. Raine sighed. "Wait... okay... the date of the explosions was about a week ago, right?"

Lloyd nodded and Raine immediately ran a search, finding the orders for that specific date. Sifting through the many orders stored within, Raine suddenly pressed her finger to the screen, pulling up one particular file. Lloyd read the order. "At 0500 hours, fire Mana Cannon Exo to coordinates listed below." There was a long string of numbers directly below the orders and at the very bottom of the screen was a digitized signature and the printed version of the signed name. Lloyd's eyes narrowed as he read it. "Magar Stillouette."

"That's what we're looking for. Those coordinates are not anywhere on the Neo World. That's a space coordinates." She poked her chin in thought. "But that name again... who is this Magar guy?"

Sheena hummed. "I'm thinking someone pretty high up in the _Heaven_ hierarchy. I heard the two guys in here earlier mention his name. He was the one who ordered the others to get out of here and shut down this section of the lab."

Lloyd nodded. "I remember that name now. Zelos mentioned he was the guy who proposed a space program to King Tethe'alla. I've also heard him mentioned from the guys I got info from. I've never actually met him, but as far as I can tell, he's a half-elf, like all the members I've met so far, who once had contacts with Yggdrasil. He wasn't working for him at the time as far as I know, but he did know him at one point or another. He's at the head of the _Heaven_ organization."

Sheena yelped and grabbed onto Lloyd as Raine held tightly to the computer as a loud explosion rocked the very floor they stood on, coming from behind the wall at their backs. Lloyd growled as Sheena straightened, still holding a firm grip on his arm. "Is Zelos trying to bring the whole damn place down?" he inquired of no one.

Sheena sighed. "I wouldn't put it past him to do something that stupid."

The door flew open and several people hustled in, each one looking oddly familiar to the half-angel and his comrades. "Desians...?" Raine muttered.

"Seems we've got some rats." A voice familiar only to the half-angel preceded the entrance of a large half-elf, his hands held arrogantly behind his back, and his pale eyes narrowed at the three intruders. He stopped and smirked at Lloyd. "A familiar rat at that." He chuckled. "Odd to see you again, Lloyd. I thought you dead by now."

"Still the joker, eh, Garr? You know I don't go down that easily." He smirked. "And you seem to have moved up in the world from messenger boy."

"Who is this guy, Lloyd?" Raine whispered.

"Garr Nasan." Lloyd gave a sardonic smile. "He was one of the two chief people feeding me information on the exsphere locations. Not anymore, though. He seems to actually have gotten a promotion."

"Of course," Garr retorted. "I've become Major Garr now."

"Major? But _Heaven_ isn't a military institution. Why does it have military titles?" Raine inquired, placing her hands on her hips.

Lloyd chuckled. "Heaven is some kind of military on it's own, isn't it Garr?" Garr simply smiled. "Either way... we know what you guys did to Derris-Kharlan."

"Oh really? And what would that be?" Garr inquired, an arrogant chuckle behind his voice.

"You used the two bases in Tethe'alla and Sylvarant to fire mana into space at an angle to redirect its orbit," Sheena announced.

"Well aren't you the smart ones?" Garr chuckled. "And what do you plan on doing with the information now that you have it? You can't really tell anyone about it unless you want to incite a worldwide panic that would destroy the world far before Derris-Kharlan got here. And if you tell the government, the same thing will happen. You know beurocrats... so panicky."

Lloyd smirked. "We're going to stop it," he announced.

Garr shrugged. "Say what you want, Angel. This is a double-or-nothing bet, so there's not too much you can do against us."

"Double or nothing...?" Raine inquired softly.

"Kill them," Garr commanded.

The Desian look-alikes rushed.

_To be continued..._

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Bijin: Alright! Chapter seven done! Hope you guys are looking foreward to chapter eight! Review please! 

**Next Chapter: Burning Hate**


	8. Burning Hate

Bijin: Chapter eight! hopefully the chapter flow won't slow down, but I expect it will until I join this section and a section of a later part that I wrote a while back. I don't have too much written after this, but I do have a good portion, almost enough for a full chapter, but I still have all day today to write that part. I can get pretty far in one day. Anyway... review responses!

lloyd-forever: Huh... cool. I'm definately a Lloyd fan. Dunno about my favorite pairing with Lloyd, but that's beside the point. XD Anyway, yeah... Garr shouldn't challenge Lloyd, specifically after what he's put the poor boy through. Whoops... can't say that yet. XD

Trickssi: Yeah. Though the idea that discrimination would continue even after the fact... that wasn't exactly what spawned the storyline for this, but I did want that to be a major point in the storyline. Among others. There are several themes in here, and you may see in the next few chapters, but I truly wanted this story to have at least one big issue about the discrimination. As for the characters... as a writer, I end up making many many worlds and original characters. I guess my respect for being true to the original characters comes from my ownability to create new characters. I dunno. XD Lloyd is the one I changed the most, and you'll somewhat see the extent of his change here. He was really difficult for me to mold, since the character I had to work with from the game was an excitable simple-minded teen, but I knew that would change.

Jana-Yggdrasil: Indeed::pets Lloyd's wings as well: Woot!

* * *

**Chapter 8: Burning Hate**

"Mr. Wilder, is it?" A young woman- most likely not too much older than the former chosen- stepped into the lobby and presented them with a wide smile.

Zelos turned from his talk with Kratos and flashed a toothy grin at the woman. "You can just call me Zelos, sweetie."

The woman raised an eyebrow at his address, but simply ignored it soon after. "My name is Friah Algray. I am here as a representative of Mr. Stillouette who, regrettably, is not here. Is there anything I can help you with?"

Zelos shrugged. "No matter. I'm here just to do a little inspection, sorry for not sending a notice, but you know how the King works." He flashed a grin then continued immediately. "See... the King has heard some disturbing rumors stating that _Heaven_ may not just be researching magitechnology."

Her smile faded. "And what exactly does that mean?"

Zelos waved his hands around, as if searching for words. "He's just heard that _Heaven_ might also be working to develop magitechnology. There was a rumor in Meltokio circulating about... a mana cannon?"

Kratos put a hand on Zelos' shoulder, causing the redhead to glance behind him at the now-blocked door. Two familiar-looking guards now stood guarding the entrance. Zelos turned and smirked. "Seems we were right about that part, eh?"

Friah, whose grin was completely absent now, turned and began heading out, whispering something to the nearest guard over her shoulder as she departed. Zelos took a step foreword and addressed her back. "You know, Miss Algray... I am the King's right-hand man. Don't you think it would be suspicious if I was suddenly injured or killed?"

The woman stopped, but did not turn, throwing her voice back over her shoulder. "You think too little of us, Mr. Zelos. You are accompanied by an angel, a former member of Cruxis no less. Kratos, is it? He was one of the people working hand-in-hand with Yggdrasil. Your association with him is more than enough for an alibi."

"Just try it..." Zelos smirked arrogantly and the woman left. In her wake, a large grouping of familiar-looking soldiers flooded the room, surrounding each one of them and blocking both exits. Recognition flashed across several pairs of eyes.

Kratos growled, gripping the hilt of his sword and throwing off his cape, glancing around to the group of half-elves closing in on them. "Desians...? What are they...?"

"Kratos... are these Desians? Renegades perhaps?" Regal inquired quietly, snapping his shackles back on.

Kratos shrugged. "I don't know. They're certainly not Renegades. Yuan disbanded them years ago. Besides... Renegades are much taller and exude more mana than Desians. Desians... why the hell would they be here?"

"I don't know, but maybe we should be concentrating on other things," Genis suggested as three more of the Desian look-alikes appeared.

Kratos was the first to engage them, with little surprise from the group. Silver Fang leapt from its sheath and parried an attack from a whip, allowing the chord to wind itself around the blade. With a snap, Kratos pulled backward on the hilt, slicing cleanly through the whip, and dashed foreword at the enemy. "Double Demon Fang!" He shouted, swinging his sword once and allowing a blast of energy to run along the ground and slam into his middle. The enemy fell to the ground, and Kratos turned to his left before releasing the second wave of energy on an approaching enemy.

Lacking a proper weapon, Presea simply dashed about, using her hands and feet to fend off enemies. Her fist planted against the side of a face and she instantly swung her leg up behind her, catching an approaching man in the jaw and sending him flying. A whip came at her and she shot her hand out, coiling the chord about her wrist and holding the enemy there. She gave the whip a tug, pulling the man foreword and smashed her heel across his temple, turning about to meet a man merely two feet away. A sword was raised and with a grunt from her, the sword came down to clash against a hard surface. She smiled at Regal.

Regal stood on one foot at the moment, using the greaves on his other leg to shield his small charge. A burst of energy left his body and he spun around, shoving the blade away and slamming his foot into the enemy's gut. "Spin Kick!" He then nodded to Presea, who leapt to her feet and resumed the fight. Regal took off after a small group of five, passing Genis along the way.

The half-elf had no time to cast spells, not to mention in the confined area, he could end up striking one of his friends. His kendama was in his hand as three surrounded him. A sword came at his middle and he simply blocked with the handle of his weapon, shoving it back for a moment before kicking out his leg, catching the man in the stomach. Two others dashed foreword, one wielding a whip, the other a spear. The whip came at him first and he dashed to the right slightly, grabbing the woman's spear and pulling it into the whips path. The chord wound around the handle and Genis clung to the spear, pulling it over his shoulder and flipping the woman onto the first attacker. The two hit the ground and Genis didn't miss a beat. He spun around to the last man and shoved the top of his kendama to about an inch before his face. "Flame blast!" Fire erupted from the end of the kendama consuming the man's head for a split second. Once it was doused, the man dropped his sword and stumbled backward screaming, his hands covering his face.

Colette tapped her fellow former Chosen on the shoulder and when he turned, pointed to the man Genis had finished with. Zelos smirked at the wounded man as he stumbled near and grabbed his arm, hip tossing him into one of the four in front of him. The three others took a look around the room, seeing that the others were just now finishing up taking out their comrades, and so seemed to make a simultaneous decision. Small devices were produced from belts and two of the remaining Desians pulled similar devices from the belts of the two nearest fallen ones. The devices were dropped to the floor and the group smirked. In a loud voice, one cried out, "Glory to Master Magar and to Heaven!" The others and several ones still conscious about the room raised weak fists and gave a holler of approval.

Genis took one look at the devices as the Desians called their loyalty, and his eyes went wide. "Get close to me, guys!" He grabbed Kratos' cape, and with a gurgle from the angel, yanked him back toward the half-elf. Colette obeyed immediately, and Zelos took a single step back. Regal and Presea caught the urgency in Genis' voice and backed up toward him immediately. Genis knelt and pressed the handle of his kendama to the ground, mana erupting from the top and surrounding them in a dome. "Barrier!"

Visibility vanished as the entire room exploded onto smoke, columns toppling over first followed by small bits of the ceiling. Plaster and dried paint rained down on them from above; the smaller particles making their way through the barrier, but the larger parts, like bits of drywall and even some concrete simply bounced off the small dome of mana. The dust took a full five minutes to settle down, and once it did, the group looked to the nearest door. It had been completely blocked by a single fallen pillar, making passing at the moment impossible.

"Well... at least that worked. The barrier's not quite as effective without my exsphere but oh well," Genis coughed, allowing the barrier to disintegrate and standing fully. The others dusted themselves off and took a look at the door as well. "Great," he muttered. "Now what?"

"Well, we can't very well just sit here!" Colette pushed.

Zelos pointed at the pillar. "We can't very well walk through that thing either."

"We'll have to move it out of the way or at least destroy enough of it to get through," answered Kratos. "I'm not about to abandon Lloyd now.'

Regal chuckled. "Have you forgotten about me?" he inquired, stepping up to the pillar. "I swore I would never fight with these hands again, but to protect, they still have something to offer."

The group seemed to exchange a unified glance, then stood aside, watching Regal approach the stone pillar. He ran his hands along the surface for a moment, then with nothing more than a grunt, what appeared to be mana, shot from his hands in a blast, destroying a large section of the stone. He stood and smirked at the group. "See?"

Zelos scoffed. "Show off."

"Whatever, let's go!" Kratos ordered, and the group headed into the main part of the building, coming first upon a long corridor. There were several doors on either side, six to be exact, each rather spaced out.

"Large rooms," Regal commented, rubbing her chin. "Most likely labs."

Zelos stopped. "Wait a minute..." The group halted with him.

"What's the matter?" Colette inquired. "Come on! Lloyd's waiting!"

Zelos held out a hand. "Wait... this is weird. According to Sybak... _Heaven_ only has four labs. The main one, which is down there," he pointed at the large double doors at the far end of the corridor. "And three other smaller ones. So... what are all these for?"

Regal waved hands at him. "They could be administrative offices..." The group picked up the pace and resumed their trip down the hall.

Zelos shook his head. "There's a second and third floor all for the offices. This section is supposed to be all labs."

Kratos rolled his eyes. "You think perhaps their functions are the _only_ thing they lied about here?"

Zelos growled, then stumbled as a loud explosion caused them to come to a halt once more. The far door on the left flew open, and from it tumbled a large pale-haired half-elf, coughing and swearing to himself for a moment as he attempted to gain his footing. He glanced at the group coming down the hallway, stood straight and took off toward the main lab. Seconds later, a second dust-covered form burst also from the room and glanced up and down the halls, lowering his glowing blades for a moment. "Guys!"

Kratos darted foreword and put a hand on his shoulder. "Lloyd, are you alright?" he demanded immediately.

"Where are Sheena and the Professor?" Colette inquired.

Lloyd collected both his swords into his left hand and dug into his pants pocket. "Sheena and the Professor are in the room still." He produced a four small bottles from his pocket, two of them an orange-yellow, and two a brilliant yellow. "Give these to them."

"Lemon and Pineapple gels?" Zelos raised an eyebrow. "What did you do to them?"

Lloyd shoved the bottles into Zelos' hands. "Shut up! I didn't do anything. Just take care of them, alright?" He dug into another pocket and shoved a small bag into Kratos' hands. "Here... you'll need these." With that, he turned and shot down the hall. "Garr! Get your ass back here!"

"Garr? Who the hell is Garr? And what's with the cold shoulder, huh? Geez," Zelos grumbled. He sighed and turned toward the room. "Oh my god... what the hell was he doing?"

The room was in shambles. The computers seemed to mostly be in tact, though smoke billowed from all four of them and they doubted they would be any good anymore. One of them still cackled and fizzled with life, though the screen flickered on and off at intervals. Several thin layers of paint on the ceiling had been chipped away, as well as a few large pieces of drywall that now lay about the floor. A group of Desian bodies lay strewn about the floor and two particular bodies over in the corner caught their attention. Sheena and Raine were propped up against the wall, though both looked semi-conscious. Sheena attempted to stand as she saw Zelos. "You guys... made it," she muttered, bracing herself against the wall.

Zelos and the others were in the room in an instant, Zelos catching the wounded ninja and allowing her weight to lean on him. "God, Sheena... you guys got pretty messed up. What happened?"

Sheena looked around and sighed as she flopped back to sit down, taking the lemon gel offered to her. As she sipped from the small bottle she spoke. "It all happened so fast, it's hard to sort this all out. But after we hacked into the computer, a half-elf named Garr found us. Apparently Lloyd knows him."

"Who is he?" Regal inquired, leaning against a nearby wall. The group seemed to take relaxed positions for the moment, save for Kratos. He stood at attention, gripping tightly the bag that had been handed to him.

"Apparently he was one of the half-elves that Lloyd met with to get information on the Exspheres. Lloyd said he was one of the two main ones," Raine volunteered, wincing as she sipped at her own gel. She never did like lemon gels, but she couldn't deny that she needed it. Her body was revitalizing as they spoke, wounds mending, strength returning.

"Yeah. We got into a fight with... what looked like Desians. I don't really know if they were Desians or not, but they certainly looked like them," Sheena continued.

"We fought the same guys," Genis muttered. "Kratos said they couldn't be Renegades cause of their height and mana levels, so they must've been Desians. But why would Desians be here?"

"It was always clear that we wouldn't be able to completely eliminate all the Desians," Kratos broke in. "Desians will exist for as long as there are half-elves. But why they would show up at a research facility is a mystery to me. Even if it is working under the government's nose, they are still only developing magitechnology. Staying at a place without military operations doesn't seem to suit them."

Sheena perked up, half due to the gel, and half in response to his words. "Lloyd said something about Heaven being something of its own military division." She looked to Zelos. "Is that true?"

Zelos crossed his arms and tossed her a pineapple gel. "Not according to the government. All the military installments are actually near cities. Not only is this place in the middle of nowhere, but there's also no need to have a military base in a research facility. They report to the military, sure. But no military personnel should be here. At least, not at the moment."

"So the military issue is something purely within Heaven's four walls," Kratos suggested. "Though they are not an actual military installation, within their own ranks and in secret, they have military actions."

"And titles," Raine added. "The half-elf called himself Major Garr."

"Anyway... back to my first question... what happened?" Zelos pushed.

Sheena sighed. "The Desians attacked us..."

**FLASHBACK**

Lloyd's swords were drawn in a flash, the blue and red illuminating the dimmed room. "Try me," Lloyd challenged. There were at least three that took him up on it and rushed foreword, aiming guns and swords like they had in the past. The energy bullets left the barrels, though their speed was no match for Lloyd, who simply held up his sword to block, dashing foreword and slicing his swords down to chop open the gun barrels, rendering them useless. He turned in time to block a sword aimed at his head and got a glimpse at Raine.

The half-elf had her staff horizontal across two swords pressing toward her chest, and a third Desian stepped up to aim a gun at her. "Professor!" Lloyd cried, but as his own enemies pressed in on him, he had no room to move. Relief washed over him for a brief moment as Sheena's boot made powerful contact with the side of the gun-wielding man. She stood, pulling several cards from her belt and tossing them foreword, allowing a few to seal themselves to enemy foreheads, releasing a hissing sound before the men toppled over to the ground.

Lloyd turned back to the man holding his swords in place and with a grunt, drew his swords apart, sending the opponent several feet away. He stood to face the next when something heavy slammed into his shoulder, then fell at his feet. He looked down to see the pale white hair of his former teacher. "Professor!" He knelt to check her, but his right arm then flashed out to catch Sheena's shoulders as she was sent flying back toward him as well. She yelped, and looked up at him.

"Sorry... I was careless," she muttered. Her weight remained fully against his arm, but she growled at Garr, who now stood solidly where Lloyd had seconds before, wielding a rather large sword.

Lloyd glared at him as well. "Garr... you should know I don't go down as easily as you think," he challenged.

Garr laughed aloud. "I figured you wouldn't go down easily, Lloyd. But with your two friends here, it turned out easier than I thought."

Lloyd felt rage build up within him. Not only had he knocked down two of his comrades, he had the gall to poke fun at him after betraying him as he had. "You... bastard...!" Lloyd did not shift his position, but Sheena gasped as the Exsphere held to his left hand began to glow brightly. She looked up at his face. Though his expression was one of anger, his eyes portrayed a heavy sense of fear and anxiety. The light on his hand exploded outward, deafening her for a moment, and her vision went white. Her entire body was being suddenly pressed into the floor, though she could still feel Lloyd's arm holding her up. Her vision was completely gone. She wasn't sure if it was damage to her body that caused it or simply the light that shone around them. She heard several mini explosions from the area of the computers, and plaster, paint and small bits of drywall rained from above. Beside her, she felt Raine grab her arm as if for support. Or maybe she just needed something to grab onto, assuring her that she was in fact still alive and on the ground.

The light dimmed, and the entire room was in shambles. Raine sat up slowly, propping herself against the nearby wall, while Sheena looked up at Lloyd, his arm still gripping her shoulders, his other hand held to his heaving chest. She looked up at Garr, who struggled to maintain his balance, a hand held to his head. He eventually hit the damaged door to the room, falling outward into the hall. He glanced up and took off. Lloyd's head snapped up, a deep growl emitting from his throat before he set Sheena against the wall and stood, darting out of the room where she could see the others suddenly appear. They conversed for a few moments before Lloyd vanished once again.

**END FLASHBACK**

Kratos sighed as the story finished. He then looked to Sheena, who began stretching out her muscles, her gels finished. "Sheena... isn't that...? That light I mean? The one that came from his exsphere..."

Sheena nodded. "Yeah. What happened here is exactly what happened when he came to my village."

Raine put a finger to her chin. "He did that in your village? What happened?"

Sheena shook her head. "Don't worry about it. We don't have time to talk anymore. We need to go after Lloyd. He chased after Garr, right?"

Genis nodded, standing along with Presea and Colette. "Yeah."

Zelos poked Kratos before they left, pointing to the bag in his hand. "What'd Lloyd give you?"

Kratos paused before shrugging and dumping the bag's contents into his open hand, his eyes going wide at the eight small stone spheres that tumbled out. "Our expheres..." Kratos muttered, picking his own Cruxis Crystal out of the bunch and pressing it to his hand. Angel senses boosted suddenly, he shuddered a little. "Interesting. He kept ours on his person?"

Colette smiled. "It was probably to keep us close to him as well."

Kratos shrugged as the group began picking out each exsphere and re-equipping them. Genis smiled at his, pressing it to his hand. "Hey Marble..." he muttered.

Once everyone seemed to have finished re-equipping them, Kratos couldn't help but notice that there were three remaining in his hand. He looked at one, then to Presea. "Don't you want your Crystal back?"

Presea shook her head, waving her hand. "No. I have grown fond of living with out it. I have a lingering, yet illogical fear, that I will become once again lifeless if I use it. I would prefer... to fight without an exsphere. Or... in this case... a Cruxis Crystal."

Kratos shrugged and shoved hers back into the bag, then looked at Zelos and Colette. "You don't want yours either?"

Zelos gave a carefree laugh and snatched his up. "No. I'll take mine."

Kratos raised an eyebrow at him. "What's wrong? You seem hesitant."

Zelos paused. "I dunno... I guess it just reminds me of my Chosen days." He then smiled again. "But all that's behind me now. Let's go get 'em!" The crystal was pushed against his throat and the holder appeared once more.

Kratos turned to Colette, holding her crystal toward her. "And you?"

She sighed. "I dunno. I suppose I don't really want to use it... but I know I won't be able to fight without it. And I want to help." She took it from him and stared at it for a moment. "It just... brings back bad memories... that's all." She smiled however, and set hers against her throat as well. "But don't worry about it. Let's go help Lloyd!"

An explosion rocked the floor for the third time that day, and Zelos groaned. "If Lloyd even needs any help. That exsphere of his is getting to be a real pain in the ass."

Kratos said nothing and darted out the door, followed closely by the rest. They burst through the double doors at the end of the hall and were less than surprised to see the main lab in shambles like the computer room. Tables all over had been overturned, chairs resting on the backs and seats. Glass littered the floor, and several liquids of many colors now lay among them. Bodies of scientists and Desians alike lay all over the grounds, conscious, half-conscious, bleeding, and dead. The status of the men and women ranged all over the scale, but there were two in the room that still seemed to have a powerful spark of life and movement.

Lloyd and a large half-elf dashed around the area, the half-elf holding a large sword and Lloyd still fighting with the glowing material blades. Sheena pointed at them. "That's him. Garr... The guy that attacked us earlier."

There was a loud clang as Garr's sword was caught between Lloyd's two swords, both of them pressing all their remaining strength against one another. Kratos' hand grabbed the hilt of Silver Fang, but Raine held a hand across his shoulders, stopping him. "Wait... let Lloyd deal with this. At least for now."

Kratos raised an eyebrow at her and Sheena spoke up. "This is personal between them." She looked to Kratos. "They betrayed him. And after so long of being alone and trusting that they were helping him, it must be rather infuriating."

Kratos' eyes narrowed and he growled. _Don't lose to your anger Lloyd... or you'll lose to Garr._

Lloyd's rage-filled eyes glared up at Garr as the half-elf chuckled. "You seem rather pissed, Lloyd Irving. What's the matter? Feeling a bit foolish for being used?"

"I'm not feeling foolish, Garr," Lloyd muttered darkly, his multi-colored wings spreading from their folded place and flapping angrily. "I'm pissed at you and this whole damn place."

Garr's face took on a mockingly sympathetic look. "Aww... sad that we betrayed you like everyone else?"

"Shut up!" Lloyd shouted, shoving harder against the blades.

"Ooh... seems I touched a nerve. So it does bother you that you're not normal. Half your blood is the same as the blood that flowed through the veins of Lord Yggdrasil and the other angels of Cruxis." Garr's face lost its mockery and his expression became one of disgust. "Puh... angels. You're nothing more than a freak with wings."

"Shut up! Now!" Lloyd commanded, more force in his voice.

"It's in you too, you know... the same hate that gave rise to Cruxis... the same hate for the world that scorns you... it's in you, too... isn't it? You hate everything. You're not just pissed at me... you're not just pissed at Heaven... you're pissed at them, too!" He looked down at Lloyd's comrades. "You hate them all because they're not like you. You hate them for being of the same blood as those who have cursed you and turned their backs on you for the past three years."

Lloyd didn't answer for a long time. He simply stared up at him; hate gleaming in his eyes, energy pumping into his arms as his rage began to build again. He growled again. "I'll give you credit, Garr. You and I have known each other for a little over three years and you know me pretty well. But you've misunderstood one big thing about the people I surround myself with." His swords began to draw apart, moving Garr away from him. Garr's face began to take on a panicked look as his blade was forced away, and Lloyd came ever closer to winning the stalemate. "It is true that over this time I've come to hate a lot of things. I hate humans for cursing me... I hate elves for rejecting me... and I hate half-elves for turning away from me. Hell... I hate them all for not being persecuted the way I have been..." He looked down to the group, and felt a pang in his chest at the distant looks they were giving him, as if they had no idea who he was. "But I'll tell you one thing about my friends... they are different than others. Even after hearing about the crap you've put me through... after hearing of all the terrible things I supposedly did... they did not reject me. They didn't hate me the way I have been hating their kind for so long." He turned back to Garr. "I may hate all other races... but I hate you and this organization even more!" His blades drew apart, pulling Garr's sword from his grasp and throwing it off to the side, shoving his foot into Garr's gut and pushing him back onto his butt. His red blade came down to rest before him, the tip of it pressed against his neck.

Lloyd glared down at him. "I hate you even more, Garr," he repeated. He moved his blade slightly to the side, putting his right blade's tip to the left side of his throat and his left blade's tip to the right, preparing to pull them across each other and his neck.

"Lloyd! Stop!" a familiar voice shouted. Lloyd looked down at Colette, who was staring up at him, tears filling her blue eyes. "Please don't kill him... you're only..." She trailed off.

Raine stepped in, understanding Colette's reasoning, but understanding that it wouldn't seem logical to Lloyd at this point. "Lloyd... we'll need Garr to give us information about how to fire the mana cannon and calculate the correct angle. Killing him would only be harmful right now."

Lloyd's grip on his swords became suddenly white-knuckled, as he struggled to remove his blades. His teeth gritted and he moved foreword slightly, actually touching the blades to the vulnerable throat if his enemy- no, his victim- and drawing a tense gasp from a few of the group below. After a few more tense moments, his wings vanished and he let out a breath, sheathing his swords and turning toward the group, hiding his eyes. He spoke to Garr. "We need information from you.. But once we are done... I swear upon the Tree of Worlds... I will kill you." He hopped from the table he stood on and headed out, passing through the middle of the group as he left. A hand hit his shoulder for a moment, and he knew without looking that it was Sheena. "I leave the rest to you," he muttered. He shrugged his shoulder out of her grasp and headed away to wait, leaning back against the wall and crossing his arms.

Kratos sighed and looked to Garr for a moment. A side of Lloyd no one had expected to form had suddenly smacked them all in the face. Though his hateful words had pierced him the least, Kratos knew that his little tirade would most likely haunt them for a while. Lloyd had never been the hateful type. He had always been an advocate of forgiveness and repentance... even to go so far as to hope for Mithos' life to shape up. So what was it that drove him to become the monster he seemed to see sulking over against the wall?

Shaking off her shock and personal feelings, Raine turned to the group. "Come on." She turned and gasped. "What the...?" Garr was no longer there. She glanced around. "Garr's gone!"

Lloyd perked up and began searching around, eventually turning toward the back of the lab as Zelos cried, "There he is!"

Garr stood behind a large control panel and several computers, his hands working frantically on two different machines. Lloyd's wings appeared and he darted for the area, swords drawn already. "Damn you, Garr!" He froze when a red light began flashing around them, an alarm wailing in their ears. Lloyd looked up. "Damnit!" He shot toward the floor, pulling the rope they had used to get in from his pocket. "Dad!" He tossed one end to his father, and landed before them. "Everyone grab onto a part of the rope and hang on tight!" The rope was strung between the two angels and Lloyd lifted off the ground, hauling his end up with him. Kratos' blue wings flashed to life on his back and he lifted off as well. The two of them flew upward, Lloyd blasting the roof open with a swing of his material blade, then sheathing it and zooming upward once more. Kratos growled as they exited the building and began flying away at top speed.

Garr's hysteric voice followed them as they evacuated. "Which do you value more, Lloyd? The exspheres or the lives of your friends?"

"He activated the self-destruct system, didn't he?" Kratos inquired of his son, pants breaking his speech a bit.

Lloyd said nothing, only nodded. It was then that the building was consumed by red light and explosions sent the angels teetering on their wings and eventually plummeted the entire group to the ground.

_To be continued..._

* * *

Bijin: That took long enough. XD Anyway... yes, Lloyd has definately changed from his simple-minded slef from the games. And if your wondering about that, don't worry. You'll get it soon enough. XD Review please! 

**Next Chapter: Aftermath**


	9. Aftermath

Bijin: Alright! Chapter nine! I know I think I freaked you all out about the whole change in Lloyd thing. Don't worry, there is an explination for it all. XD I hope I didn't lose too many of you. Anyway... let's see... just a few review responses this time.

lloyd-forever: Garr? Heh. Lloyd goes into a bit more detail about Garr a bit later. Can't give you all the answers at once, ne? XD

Jana-Yggdrasil: Yeah, Lloyd changed. Quite a bit. Like I said, we'll go into the reasoning more later.

Yep. That was it. See ya!

* * *

**Chapter 9: Aftermath**

"Is everyone alright?" Kratos inquired, standing and looking over the nine semi-conscious forms that were beginning to gain enough coherence to get to their feet.

"I'm intact," Zelos answered as if finding out his own well-being were the only reason Kratos had asked.

"It looks like everyone is alright," Sheena muttered, standing.

Genis pulled himself from a bush and groaned, rubbing his head. "That was some explosion. I don't remember the ranches ever causing that much of an issue."

Raine dusted herself off and pulled a few twigs from her hair. "Well... that building was made to store mana, not to mention it was full of more magitechnology than all the ranches we destroyed put together. There was just more stuff to blow up."

Colette coughed and approached. "Why did Garr do that? He saw we were retreating, and yet didn't try to stop the self-destruct. Not to mention he didn't even make any demands. He just blew it up."

"A suicide bombing, I suppose," Regal muttered, helping Presea out of a bush and walking over to stand nearby. "He must've wanted to destroy the evidence that could've been brought to the government."

"If he wanted to do that, he could've shut down the self-destruct first and started it up again later when he was out of harm's way. Maybe even set a timer to allow himself time to escape. But he didn't. He blew it up immediately. Why?" Kratos put a finger to his chin.

"He was insane." A voice from above muttered. The group looked up at the nearest tree to see Lloyd hop down, pulling twigs and leaves from his coat and hair. He pulled a stick from his wing and grunted, tossing it over his shoulder and folding it enough to rub the wound with his hand. "He was beaten and didn't want to live up to his superiors. I've heard jobs there are a blood sport."

"What? But why didn't be just kill himself if he truly wanted to die rather than blowing the whole thing up? That puts us at a strain on how to stop Derris-Kharlan. Does he want the world to be destroyed?" Genis demanded.

"Don't ask a madman to decipher the mind of another," Lloyd commanded.

"Madman?" Kratos repeated.

"I have no idea why the hell he would go to those lengths to stop us. He destroyed himself and did his best to keep us from stopping Derris-Kharlan," Lloyd muttered. "Plus the thing he said as we were leaving worries me. 'Which do you value more, Lloyd? The exspheres or the lives of your friends?'"

"Well, that only confirms what you said before. You claimed they were only using you to get their hands on the exspheres. But what does Derris-Kharlan have to do with that?" Raine inquired softly.

"Not a clue. But if you ask me, they are connected in some way," Kratos muttered.

"Well what do we do now? There's only one mana cannon left, and we need two to reverse the orbit," Genis cried.

Lloyd shook his head. "Not really. We need two to turn it around, yes. But... if we only have one, one will do."

"How so?" Sheena asked.

"If we fire one cannon directly into the center of Derris-Kharlan, we could force it back. It's risky since we would have to hit it in the direct center for it to work, but if it comes right down to it, we could always just use the one cannon to blow the damn thing up." Lloyd shrugged.

Kratos placed a finger to his chin. "If we plan on destroying it... we'll need to hurry up and gain control of that other cannon. If Derris-Kharlan comes too much closer, and we detonate it, the Neo World could get caught up in the resulting blast."

"Then we'll leave in the morning," Lloyd decided, turning away and heading toward the nearby coastline. "I'm gonna go wash up."

The group watched him go and after a moment, Colette took off after him, ignoring Kratos' attempts to stop her. The group took a silent pause for a while as Lloyd's outburst in the headquarters came simultaneously to mind. Genis sighed. "Do you think Lloyd meant what he said back there? About... you know... hating everyone?"

Kratos looked back at him, turning to the grouping of trees that had cushioned their fall and picked up several good-sized sticks. He sighed, placing the sticks into a pile and pulling the longer branches to the side. "I don't know, Genis. Probably." He withdrew Silver Fang and with several bursts of energy, chopped the branches into more managable pieces.

Regal began to teepee the sticks, readying them to be lit. Genis sighed. "I don't get it... Lloyd used to be so against hatred like that. Why is he suddenly so full of it?" He waved his kendama and lit the sticks ablaze, sitting down nearby. Regal, Presea, Raine, Sheena, and Zelos also took various places around the fire, Kratos remaining standing as usual and looking up at the sky through the tree branches.

"I suppose any number of things could've driven him to this," Kratos muttered.

Sheena nodded. "Yeah. After all... Lloyd has not only been alone for more than three years, he's also been the only one of his kind left alive. He is lonely, and like Mithos, perhaps that was enough to change him to the core."

Genis looked down. "He had so much anger in his eyes, even when he looked at us... I can't get his eyes out of my head."

Sheena nodded. "His eyes are very poignant. It's hard to forget them once he has given you a certain look."

"Those eyes prove that what he said was not said on impulse," Kratos offered. "He said that because it was the basic truth. He was not lying or simply speaking in the heat of the moment. The hate he spoke of and looked at us with... that was real."

"But he said he didn't hate us," Zelos pointed out.

"Maybe so, but he hates our races. Kratos is the only one he probably has absolutely no problem with," Presea cleared up.

"He's changed more than we originally thought," Regal muttered.

"Yeah," Sheena sighed. "But... I mean... can't the old Lloyd come back? Isn't there any way to help him back to his old self?"

Kratos looked down, finally seating himself by the fire and crossing his arms. "There very well might not be a way to do that. The damage has been done. Unless you can reverse time... there's nothing that can completely heal the wounds he has received."

Sheena stared into the fire, her eyes gaining a glazed quality. _I hated him, too... I was so angry with him for destroying that section of my village... and for killing Kari. But after meeting him... I just couldn't be angry with him. I wanted to be... but after seeing how much he has suffered, how can I be upset with him? He has no excuse for killing Kari. He has no excuse for the things he said to me. And yet, even when he says outright that he hates humans like me, why can I still not be angry with him? Why can I not hate him as much as he hates my race?_

She rested her forehead on her knees and sighed.

_Lloyd, just what have you been through?_

* * *

Lloyd broke the surface of the water and shook his head free of most of it, allowing the chilled liquid to run down his bare chest, carrying with it some of the stress of the day's happenings. 

_Having some issues are we?_

_Shut up Origin. I don't need this right now._ Lloyd audibly growled, bringing his injured wing around to check it over before dipping it into the soothing water that he stood in.

_Ooh... a little upset eh? Well don't take it out on me. You're the one who always insists on telling the truth. I have a feeling that the truth wasn't something your friends needed to hear._

_Damn those dwarven vows._ Lloyd chuckled ruefully. _Dad really pounded those into me._

_Your desire for food is unprecedented, Lloyd._

_I told you I didn't need this right now._

_Whatever. So what now? You've probably just alienated everyone in your little clique._

_I was alienated years ago, Origin. It has nothing to do with what happened._

_Yes, you were alienated a long time ago, but you didn't alienate your friends... the one thing you had left... you didn't alienate them from you until just now._

_You suck at cheering people up, you know that?_

_I 'm not here to cheer you up, Lloyd._ His voice was serious now. _I have great respect for you Lloyd. You did what I never dreamed possible... you stopped Yggdrasil. You reunited the worlds. But afterward, you were cursed for your blood. I understand well that your friends are the only things you have left. I just... I don't want to see you lose those as well, Lloyd. I am not fond of humans either. But I am fond of you. I don't want you to suffer again like you have already and continue to. That's the only reason I am saying this._

Lloyd chuckled. _Who do you think you are, my dad?_

_Well, Kratos sure as hell hasn't stepped up to the plate and given you any father-son talks, so I'll do some until he decides to use that brain of his. And unless you and Sheena summon me, I can't yell at him for it. So... I'll stick with this_

_Gee... that makes me feel better._

Origin seemed to suddenly ignore him and continued. _If he's on night watch tonight, maybe I can chew him out while you're sleeping._

Lloyd rolled his eyes and began making his way out of the water, when he stopped and chuckled. "You can come out now, Colette. I know you're there."

Colette blushed and stepped out from behind a tree, looking down. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to intrude. It's just... we're all worried about you."

Lloyd shrugged and stepped fully out of the water, shaking the liquid from his ears, pant-legs, and hair before sitting down and reaching for his shirt, which had been discarded off to the side. "You don't have to worry about me, I'm fine." His injured wing circled around and he began rubbing the pierced spot again. Colette sat next to him and blushed, looking over his body. He certainly had grown. His chest was more muscled and his face more defined than it had been. 'Quite the handsome one,' was the thought shaken from her mind as she spoke quietly.

"Did you hurt your wing?"

Lloyd looked up, then back to his wing. "A stick just went through it as we fell, that's all."

Colette paused awkwardly, then blushed as she asked her next question. "Umm... this may be a stupid question, but how is your wing able to get hurt? I didn't think you and Kratos' wings were solid. I just thought the colored parts were solidified mana."

Lloyd nodded. "My body naturally exudes mana from my back and forms it into wings. My angel blood does that on its own. The mana circulates to form the physical veins that you see in my wings, but in a sense, they are not completely solid, no. When that mana flow is interrupted by something, like that stick, it is rather painful. It's not a big deal. I'm mainly rubbing it to make my body aware of that space again. It'll help get rid of that hole in the circulation."

"Is it that easy for them to be pierced?" Colette winced.

Lloyd shrugged. "Sure. You can put your hand through it, but the bigger the object being put through the more it hurts. That's why I only have my wings out when in a fight or when I know people won't try to hurt me."

Colette smiled. "Then having your wings out around us is a pretty cool thing. It means you trust us."

"I suppose. The wings give me a speed advantage in battle and allows the mana in my body to flow better by increasing the flow area. They allow me to fight ten times better than I normally would. There has to be some downside to them, I guess."

"They are beautiful, though," Colette assured him.

Lloyd looked up at her for a moment before looking down again. He then sighed and released his wing, letting it fold itself behind his back again. They shifted uncomfortably as he sifted through the sand nearby. "I'm a horrible person, aren't I?" he muttered after a long silence.

"What? No!" she answered. "You were just angry is all! You didn't really mean all that... did you?"

Lloyd stared at her, his eyes challenging. She finally sighed and looked down. "But... the Lloyd I know wouldn't say thing like that."

Lloyd looked away, focusing on the sea stretched out in front of him. "The Lloyd you know is a human and was named Irving... The Lloyd you knew doesn't exist anymore." He jumped slightly as his arm was grabbed. He looked down to see Colette clinging to his bicep, tears already soaking her cheeks and trailing onto his arm.

"But we need the old Lloyd! The old Lloyd is the one we all loved! You're not yourself!"

Lloyd felt a sting in his chest as he shrugged her off and stood, grabbing his shirt. "Colette, you're going to have to accept it! I'm not the Lloyd you once knew! This is who I am now! I understand that you all probably hate what I have become, but that's the way things are." He shook his head and waved his arm in the air. "I wasn't just angry before! I really do hate humans! I really do hate elves! And I really do hate half-elves! You all are different, but it doesn't do anything to stop me from hating the races! I may not agree with Mithos' ideals, but I at least understand where he was coming from. To be shunned from everywhere you go simply because you were born with certain blood... is true damnation..." His fists clenched and he stared at her with hard eyes, while she just looked back at him, her face tear-stained and calm.

"You have tears in your eyes, Lloyd," she muttered.

He growled and turned away, spreading his wings and taking off. Colette looked back at the sea. "You may not be the Lloyd we used to know... but he hasn't vanished. He's still inside you... but he's buried."

* * *

"So we know our next move. Let's try analyzing the issue today." Raine suggested, leaning back to rest her weight on her hands. "I would like to know why there were Desians in the base. Desians will always exist as long as there are half-elves in the world, but why are they organized into a security force in Heaven? We already gathered that they were hiding their activities, but why would Desians side with them?" She looked to Kratos. "You know more about them than I do." 

Kratos sighed. "Knowing the Desians... the only reason they would agree to work with any organization was if their objectives and methods were similar. Or unless the organization agreed to their objectives and methods. Unless of course... the Desians have changed their ways. Though I doubt that. You saw it in Magnius and Forcystus most... Desians are extremely proud. They believe they are gods on this world and deserved to be treated as such."

"So... what does Heaven have that they would want...?" Regal inquired of no one in particular.

Raine shook her head. "Where we need to start is the Desians themselves." She looked to Kratos again. "Kratos... assuming what you say is true about their pride and such... is it possible that if we figure out those objectives and methods, we figure out what Heaven's are as well?"

"Perhaps. If we assume that their goals coincide, it could explain what the Desians were doing at Heaven's HQ." Kratos put a finger to his chin. "The Desians were created as a group to simply suppress humans and therefore the development of Magitechnology. They also were created to make exspheres at human ranches, which would eventually be given to either more Desians, or would go through more testing to become Cruxis Crystals. In the declining world, at least. In the flourishing world, the Desians were instructed to help operate the Church of Martel in the forefront while taking orders from Yggdrasil."

"But I thought Yggdrasil said that the Desians existed for the purpose of creating his age of lifeless beings," Genis pointed out. Colette appeared silently and took an unnoticed seat next to where Kratos stood, but said nothing to advance the conversation. Few even realized she had sat down.

"By creating exspheres for Yggdrasil, which are absolutely vital to change a human, elf, or half elf into a lifeless being, the Desians indeed were created also for that purpose. They served more than one purpose since Yggdrasil didn't want his own activities felt directly in Tethe'alla and Sylvarant. They served to help him further his dream, and also were used to operate things in the open."

Raine suddenly gasped, a hand held at her heart. Zelos raised an eyebrow. "Something wrong, your Highness?"

She ignored him and looked at Kratos. "Kratos... is it possible that they could perhaps be trying to revive Cruxis?"

Kratos stared at her for a long moment, his eyes wide. "Uhh... perhaps, but doesn't that seem a little pointless? They no longer have any leader. I wouldn't put it past them, but it doesn't seem possible, and it seems without point."

"What about this Magar guy that keeps coming up? Maybe he's their new leader," Sheena suggested.

"If we could prove that it certainly would help. It would link the two groups for certain." Kratos muttered.

Sheena looked up. "Come to think of it... I wonder why we didn't see him before the lab exploded. Though I suppose he could've been one of those poor souls that were on the floor when we came upon Lloyd's little sparring match with Garr."

Zelos raised an eyebrow. "He wasn't there. The second in command girl told us that."

Sheena raised an eyebrow. "Huh? No... He had to have been there. He's the one who gave the order to shut down a certain sector of the HQ. That's what the guys were saying when we got in."

Regal chuckled. "Then he ran. That indicates that he has the answers we're looking for if he took off at the first sign of the government."

"Where do you think he went?" Presea looked around.

"Most likely to the HQ in Sylvarant."

The group looked around and Lloyd eventually appeared from the nearby bushes, seating himself on the ground near the fire and staring at the burning wood. "That's where the second mana cannon is."

There was an awkward pause before Zelos spoke. "Yeah... her Highness told us about what you guys found on the computers there."

"I still don't get why he destroyed the cannon." Colette spoke up for the first time. "He killed himself along with all the other scientists and researchers that were still alive in there and he just destroyed one of the ways to stop Derris-Kharlan. Why would he do that?"

Lloyd didn't look up. "He was doing two things at the very least... he was destroying all the evidence in that building that could've incriminated Heaven to the government. In his mind... every single person in there was evidence, including himself simply by holding knowledge of Heaven's activities. Second, he was keeping his failure from being recognized and punished by the higher-ups."

"That still seems a bit extreme," Colette muttered.

Another awkward silence fell and finally, Zelos threw his hands in the air. "Alright, I'll say it. Damn you guys are wimps!" She looked to Lloyd. "Hey Lloyd... we're all kinda wondering... about that stuff you said back at the lab..."

"I don't want to talk about it," Lloyd growled. He stood, wandered to a nearby tree and leaned back against it, wrapping his cape around his shoulders and bowing his head. "I'm going to sleep."

Nothing more was said on the matter lest they provoke Lloyd's piercing eyes again. It wasn't long before the group went ahead and fell to sleep.

_To be continued..._

* * *

Bijin: Dang... I had a cool font for Origin's words and it got rid of it here. Foo. Anyway... yeah. There's a little insight. See you in the next chapter! Review please! 

**Next Chapter: The Sylvarant HQ**


	10. The Sylvarant HQ

Bijin: Sorry this chapter took so long to get up. I went for a long period without writing anyway, but now that I've figured out all the little details of the next bunch of chapters, things should speed up. I'va lmost got enough for two more chapters, but I'm gonna wait until I have a little bit more to post the next one. But it should at least be up within the next few days. It just helps me keep track of everything. XD Okay... review responses.

Jana-Yggdrasil: Thanks. I've spent a lot of time on this, and I'm glad you are enjoying it.

bentlyandtalesofsymphoniafan: I did think it was interesting that Origin's seal is in Lloyd's body now and I wanted to use that. I gave Origin a pretty significant part int his story. XD

Maxmagnus20019: Thanks. Good to hear from you.

Catwarrior: Yeah, I did want Lloyd to seem a little scary. It's kinda difficult to write for him since he's so different from the enthusiastic kid he was in the game, so knowing that I wanted him to seem scary was one guidline I tried to stick to. XD

Alright, that's done. Time for the chappy. Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 10: The Sylvarant HQ**

Lloyd pulled his shirt up and over his head, tugging loose the bandage that had been used on his shoulder, now completely healed of its wound. He bent over slightly, grabbing his legs and stretching downward as his wings burst from his back to flap several times, being sure that the hole in circulation was filled. He removed his belts and scabbards as well, pulling off his shoes, and stretching his body a bit more. Unspent anger from the night before was thrown out his body as he kicked and punched, attacked and parried, sparring back and forth with his invisible partner. The sun was just peeking out from its resting place beneath the hills and the area was bathed with a radiant orange and red mix, white clouds reflecting about the colors.

A commonly dressed redhead watched from a nearby tree, knowing full well that the boy was aware of his presence. Finally, Lloyd groaned. "So you've decided to go to that level, huh?" he inquired of the air though the one in the tree knew for whom it was intended. "Treating me like an enemy to be watched."

"I'm not treating you like an enemy, Lloyd," he answered levelly. "I'm treating you like someone I have known for a long time and wonder if I still know him at all." Lloyd said nothing, ending his sparring match and turning away to head into the water again. Kratos dropped from the tree and sighed, moving to sit at the tree's base. "We all are starting to wonder who you really are."

"If you say traitor, I'll smack you."

"I won't." Kratos chuckled ruefully, though he knew the jest had been aimed at him. "But you are not as we used to know you."

Lloyd scrubbed at his face slightly, shaking water from his hair and pulling it into the low ponytail as usual. "Damn right, I'm not." he muttered. "What did you think after three years?"

"Not this, I can tell you that," Kratos tossed back. He fell silent. "I won't let you refuse to answer this, Lloyd... tell me why you said those things last night. Were they true?"

Lloyd fell silent again, looking down. "Yes... they were true. I said them because I was provoked and they needed to be said." Kratos said nothing, and Lloyd continued. "I worked so hard... I bled... I even offered my life... and this world was restored. And then... it betrayed me. It tossed me aside like some savior they didn't need. They even started hunting me, though I was doing my best... risking my life and my sanity to purge the world of the cursed exspheres. They threw it in my face. I gave up everything. I didn't want anything but peace... and I was denied even that."

Kratos chuckled and Lloyd rounded on him. "What the hell's so funny?"

Kratos shook his head. "Nothing... you just... you sounded like Mithos for a second there."

Lloyd seemed taken aback. "Like... Mithos?"

Kratos sighed. "He saved the world as well, splitting it apart to end the Kharlan war. And in return, his sister was killed. Like I said... he was unable to acknowledge his mistakes and atone for them. That was the one thing that separated you and Mithos." He gave Lloyd a hard look. "Does that still hold true now?" Lloyd stood straight, his eyes filled with struggle. "I don't think it does." Lloyd growled. "You have become just like Mithos, Lloyd, a hate for all things and a love only for your own race. Do you also desire an age of lifeless beings?"

Lloyd was suddenly standing before him, a poignant glare aimed down at him. "I can't tell you how many times I've wished for that over the course of these three years, but never once did I consider picking up Mithos' work. He was a mass murderer who had no feelings for the lives he was taking."

"Is that too much unlike you? Though it was not your fault completely, do you have regrets about the lives you have taken?" Kratos challenged. Lloyd looked down and didn't answer. "I see... then you truly are like him."

"No! I'm not like Mithos! I value life! I value the lives of those different from me, even though I despise their kind! What makes me like him?" Lloyd demanded.

Kratos began to stand. "You have now lost the ability to acknowledge your own mistakes like Mithos did."

"What mistake have I made? I gave up everything I had! I gave up my friends, my family, and now my sanity is beginning to go! Could I have given more? What more could I have given and still remained myself?"

"But you didn't remain yourself, did you?" Kratos demanded, his eyes flashing angrily. "The Lloyd speaking to me now sure as hell isn't the same Lloyd I knew three years ago!"

"I know I'm not! I knew I'd changed but how could I have prevented this? For god's sake, what mistake did I make?"

"You made the mistake of becoming the thing you hate the most, Lloyd!" Kratos shouted, bearing down on his son, a stern look in his dark eyes. Lloyd's face became suddenly less severe. Such an answer had not been expected. Kratos continued. "First you were an outcast, like Mithos was. But then you took it a step further and became the thing that you so fought against three years ago; a man that does not advocate genocide... but understands it."

Kratos turned away, unable to look at Lloyd anymore, not out of shame, but simply because he knew the chord he struck. It resonated deep within his son and the vulnerable look in the young man's eyes had ripped out whatever anger he had felt toward him. Lloyd growled, looking down. "I don't want genocide... I will admit I hate the different races for doing this to me... for turning me into this... thing... even though it could've been partly my fault. But the changes I made in myself... I made them to protect myself. It's the only way I could since I was alone." He clenched his fists, his voice strained through gritted teeth. "I understand you all hate what I've become... it hurts you... but..." Kratos was silent. "If I had remained the way I was... I would not be here. Would you prefer me dead to how I am now?"

Kratos shook his head. "No, son." He turned around and put a hand on Lloyd's shoulder. "All we want is to see the Lloyd that we watched save the world three years ago."

"Don't you get it? I've changed and no amount of wishing is going to change me back, damnit!" Lloyd's head snapped up, anger in his eyes. "This is how I am now, Kratos... and you're going to have to accept it." He backed away. The red head's expression fell at the sound of his own name leaving Lloyd's lips. Suddenly, the young half-breed had reverted back to calling him by his first name. "You didn't pass judgment on me before you met me... I thank you for that... but now you have passed it, and I can see the end result." He turned away and gathered his shirt, banishing his wings long enough to pull it over his head then pulling them back out.

"Lloyd..." Kratos took a few steps in his direction.

"Please leave me alone, Kratos. We have things to do today." He spread his wings and took off away from the shore.

Kratos sighed and headed back to camp where the group was packing up the rheairds. Sheena glanced around. "Where's Lloyd?"

Kratos waved his hand in the air, index finger pointing to the sky. Raine sighed. "I take it the father-son talk didn't go so well, huh?"

"More like a father-son blow-out," Kratos muttered.

"Really...? What's wrong with him? Why is he acting this way?" Genis muttered.

Kratos sighed. "I think I may understand a little bit, but if he finds us talking about him, he may get upset. Let's talk about it later." He mounted his rheaird and chuckled._Kratos, eh? You've been hurt so many times... you would resort to that? Lloyd... I know you better than that._

* * *

The group spent the next hour or so flying westward toward the Sylvarant Heaven base, leaving Lloyd's rheaird in its place near the Tethe'allan base. He seemed perfectly content with flying and with his mood of late, they were hesitant to challenge him on it. Plus the fact that the fewer rheairds, the less chance there was of being spotted, even if it was only one less than before. Colette stared at Lloyd's back, hidden mostly by his black cape, as they flew. Suddenly he seemed so distant. Throughout their trip to find him, his discovery seemed to her to be some type of door that would open up. Something about him, whether it be his gentle idealist tendencies or his Eternal Sword that remedy the situation, it didn't matter. It was going to be Lloyd that saved them. Or... so she thought. After hearing him speak the night before something she had been standing on had given way, dropping her down into a situation that seemed without any remedy at all. The hate she saw shining in his eyes... was it truly his? His words the day before had come out so passionately. Could it be that he truly harbored the hate he once scorned? 

Lloyd had simply changed too much.

She wasn't sure she could keep track of him anymore.

_"I'm a horrible person, aren't I?"_

The comment made after an awkward discussion about his wings seemed to stand out in her mind. A horrible person? It seemed odd for someone who shamelessly proclaimed his hatred to be concerned about being considered a bad person for his statements. So was it possible... that Lloyd was not quite who he seemed to be? She looked to Kratos, whose glazed eyes were staring straight ahead, obviously deep in thought. She shifted her rheaird in the air slightly to inch closer to him. "Kratos...?" she called quietly.

Kratos turned to look at her. "Yes? What's wrong?"

She looked down for a second. "Well... last night... when you were talking to Lloyd... did you get the feeling that...?" She trailed off, wondering if Lloyd could actually hear her. His angel senses seemed to be able to pick up anything.

Kratos nodded. "Yes." He didn't even need her to speak her thoughts. He already knew. "Lloyd is hurt pretty badly."

Colette sighed. "But don't tell any of the others," she called quietly. "He's gone this far to try and hide it..."

Kratos nodded, opening his mouth for a moment before shutting it again. "There's the Sylvarant base," Lloyd shouted over the rushing air. "Let's land soon so we can figure out a plan to get in!"

They began to lower the machines immediately, getting not too far below their original altitude before a brilliant light shot from the building, grazing a wing of Presea's rheaird and causing the young woman to fly from her seat, the rheaird toppling down above her. Her vocals erupted in a scream, and in a flash, Colette found Lloyd no longer in front of her, but zooming back toward the pink-haired girl. His body contacted hers only feet above the trees, and they vanished below the branches. "Lloyd! Presea!" Regal shouted downward, forcing his rheaird into a more concentrated decent. The remaining group broke the treetops and landed safely in a relative clearing as best they could, hopping immediately off their vehicles to dash toward the landing zone.

"Lloyd? Presea?"

The group made their way quickly yet thoroughly through the dense trees, looking around for any shroud of black, shock of pink, or sparkle of brilliant mana. Finally, Raine's voice rose above the yells.

"I found them, guys! Come toward my voice!"

Eventually they stood and knelt huddled around the two still forms on the forest floor, the pink-haired axe-wielder lying limply on top of the half-angel. Both looked unconscious. Regal stooped to pick his assistant up, and laid her down nearby, examining her closely. "Presea's alright. She's got a head wound, but it seems to only be a flesh wound." He put a hand near her temple, where blood oozed from a cut. "Probably just hit a tree on the way down. How's Lloyd?"

Colette stared at his prostrate form, lying flat on his back, eyes closed and teeth gritted in a troubled slumber. She put a hand to her mouth and looked to Kratos. "Can't you help him? He's hurt!"

Raine shook her head. "He's fine. He's not even bleeding anywhere."

Colette shook her head. "No, his wings!" She pointed at the glittering appendages, which were littered with twigs and small branches, even a few leaves lay seemingly gently in the veins.

Raine looked up as Kratos gently took a portion of one wing into his hand and removed a twig, wincing as he did. "He'll be alright. But he won't be able to fly for at least the rest of the day."

Raine raised an eyebrow at him, determining to herself to ask him what the big deal about the twigs was, but decided now was the time to help get rid of the twigs and other such obstructions.

It took them nearly twenty minutes to completely remove the small pieces of wood, and once they were done, they gently lay him on a clean piece of forest floor, leaving Raine to deal with Presea once Regal carried her over. "We probably shouldn't take Presea into the building with us. It'll be too dangerous the way she is now." Raine muttered, once they had gathered around Lloyd's body. Regal laid Presea nearby and nodded.

"You're probably right. The wound isn't serious, but she will probably have a pretty bad headache for a while, and that could affect her performance in battle. If she slips up, she could be killed."

"Right. Lloyd should probably stay here too, considering his wings will be useless in battle now. Plus, if they are hurt any more than they are now, he could be off of them for a full week," Kratos muttered. "It's already going to take a full day for the circulation to reassert itself. If he is injured again while they're trying to repair themselves, it will take much more time to fix things."

"But Lloyd won't agree to that," Zelos muttered, leaning back on his hand and waving his other. "Lloyd seems to have it in for these guys, and I doubt a little thing like some damaged wings are going to stop him."

"But it's for his own good," Raine insisted.

"Since when have I cared about that?" Lloyd muttered, his eyes opening and fixating on Raine. He grunted as he sat up, but pushed the medical woman away, gently folding his tender wings. "I'll be fine. I just won't be able to fly in battle. That's all. And we won't need them for stealth things since they seem to be ready for us." He pointed at the sky. "That beam came from a gun they designed a while ago. It's like a miniature mana cannon. Not nearly as powerful, and it uses raw energy rather than mana, but it's quite destructive as you'll see if we ever find Presea's rheaird."

"Lloyd, come on. You can't expect to fight with your wings like that," Kratos challenged. "Once you're used to using them, it is next to impossible to fight properly without them."

Lloyd shook his head, looking toward the building not half a mile away. "No... I'm going in. I'll be fine. I have some unsettled business in there." Lloyd's eyes narrowed, sending the same uncomfortable tingle shooting down Kratos' spine. He then smirked. "Besides... I would hate to disappoint them, seeing as how they've already seen us coming."

"Lloyd..." Genis muttered.

Lloyd looked over at him, his eyes glaring. "I'm going, Genis... there's no time for questions."

Genis raised an eyebrow as Kratos got to his feet, a hand already on his sword. "Lloyd's right."

Colette looked up at the two of them. "What's happening?"

Lloyd ignored her for the moment. "Regal! Get Presea out of here. You two scan the outside of the building and make sure that Magar doesn't leave here. If you see anyone you think could be Magar, tell me."

Regal raised an eyebrow at him, but gathered Presea into his arms. "Well... sure, but how do I call you?"

"Just yell... I'll hear you." Lloyd tapped his right earlobe as Regal vanished. Lloyd looked to Kratos, then to Colette, Genis, Raine, Sheena, and Zelos. _Too many people... what should I do?_ They could suddenly hear the parting and whacking of bushes, several pairs of solid footsteps following close behind. Lloyd took one more glance around before his legs gave way and he toppled foreword onto the cushioned floor of the small forest.

"Lloyd!" Colette shouted, kneeling next to him.

Kratos glanced to Lloyd's still form, then to Colette, and finally foreword again as a small grouping of Desians broke through the bushes and aimed several guns at them. "No one move." The front one commanded. He glanced at the situation, then nodded to one at his left, who lowered the barrel of his gun to Lloyd's temple. "Alright... everyone line up into a single-file line, and follow us. If you want this angel to still be alive by the time we get inside."

Before they knew what was happening, the group was inside the building, being lead into the heart of the basement where they were firmly locked up. Kratos, Genis, and Zelos were caged firmly in one cell while Sheena, Raine, and Colette were locked in one nearby. Lloyd had been trapped separately, laid out on a table, his own two swords crossed and held firmly to his neck by a small stand-up table placed over him. Around his forearms and ankles were large bracers, the ones on his forearms running from his wrists down to just below his elbows. All four metal bracers clung to his skin while around them floated an odd whitish glow. Zelos plopped onto a bench provided.

"Well... this is one way to get in," he muttered sarcastically.

Sheena groaned from to other side of the wall. "Shut up, Baka Chosen. We need to figure out a way out of here before they come down to kill us."

"Jeez... it was just a comment. No need to snap."

"Alright, alright. We're a bit agitated, but we're gonna have to calm ourselves if we want to get out," Kratos called, waving his hands.

"If Lloyd were awake, he might be able to pick the locks. He's good with his hands like that," Genis muttered. "Why did he pass out, anyway?"

"I didn't."

The group looked across the room to see Lloyd open his eyes and turn them gently to look at them. Genis raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean, you didn't?"

"I didn't pass out. I pretended like I did so they wouldn't take any extra precautions with us. I wasn't expecting them to put these kinds of bracers on me." He grunted and pulled upward on his arms, though they didn't budge their position. He sighed. "Should've expected them to have crap like this."

Zelos waved a hand. "Duh... they're a research institute that develops Magitechnology. All of the angel hunting equipment started out here. Those cuffs probably suppress angelic energy."

Lloyd rolled his eyes. "To be honest, I don't really care what they do, I just want to get them off."

Kratos put a finger to his chin. "They don't seem to actually be attached to the table he's on. They just seem to be around his forearms. How is it holding him down?"

Zelos stared at it for a long moment. "I don't really remember this project all that well. It was only to be used once they caught an angel and since not too many angels had been found it was rarely used and thought to be one of those inventions that only is used once a blue moon."

"Great..." Sheena muttered.

"What about you, Professor? Do you think you can figure out how that thing works?" Colette suggested, looking to the pale-haired half-elf.

Raine shrugged. "I'm better with computers, really. Genis, what about you?" She called over. "You've gotten as good with recognizing magitechnology as I have."

Genis was silent for a long moment. "Well... as far as I can tell... those metal cuffs are putting out a certain type of mana, which is circulating around the metal itself. The mana being circulated has been augmented to supporess other types of mana, correct?"

Zelos rolled his eyes. "Duh... that's how most anti-angel devices work."

"Well, the metal has mana circulating around it, meaning attaching the metal cuffs to the table directly would interrupt the flow. So they would have to use a second type of mana circulation to connect the bracers to the table. Soo if we could interrupt the flow somehow, those cuffs should come unbuckled from the table. I doubt the cuffs themselves will come off, but at least he'll be able to get up."

Lloyd shrugged. "Sounds good to me, but how on earth do we do that? I can't very well reach them."

Genis smiled. "I can help with that. They may have taken my kendama, but I've learned to control a little bit of my mana using my hands as a medium rather than my kendama. It's hard and it's not at all efficient, but it should do to interrupt that mana flow." Lloyd nodded. Genis held a hand through the bars, pointing one finger at him. "As long as I hit it," he muttered quietly.

"What?" Lloyd cried.

Genis didn't answer and went ahead and took a shot, a small fireball leaping from his fingertips, and sliding neatly under the bracer. A quiet spark was heard, and Lloyd lifted his nearest hand. "Nice work, Genis," he chuckled. He then used the same hand to slide his fingers beneath the other bracer, producing the same spark, and lifting his other. He growled. "Only thing is, I can't reach the Material Blades." Indeed, the blades had been set up on a table overtop of him, angled severely downward so the edges just barely touched his vulnerable throat.

"I could try shooting them again," Genis suggested.

Kratos raised an eyebrow. "Sure, if you wanna kill him."

"Huh?"

"Well, think about it... if those blades move at all, it'll slice his throat open. With the accuracy you have with your shot, you could end up moving them so they cut him. And considering the way you would have to move them even if you did hit it accurately, it would cut him anyway."

"Well this is a fix," Raine groaned. "And Lloyd can't use his wings to push them away with the bracers suppressing his mana flow."

Lloyd was silent for a moment before calling, "Hey, Origin..."

_You called?_

"Yeah... is it possible that you could do something with the Material Blades to protect me while I get up? They are, in essence, the Eternal Sword in two parts, right?"

_Lloyd... you are such an idiot._

"Hey! Shut up! What are you talking about?"

The group raised an eyebrow at the conversation they were only privy to half of.

_The Eternal Sword is a weapon that borders on sentient. It's like an exsphere. It is alive per se, but it doesn't quite have a consciousness. It isn't going to cut the one who wields it and it certainly isn't going to cut the one who has me in their body. If you die, then I get released, and being forcefully released like that is dangerous._

"Alright, alright. I get it." Lloyd sighed and sat up, the group holding its breath as the blades moved cleanly in a slicing motion as he did. But neither blade penetrated his skin. "I don't need an entire lesson." He quickly leaned down, severing the mana flow beneath his ankles and pulling himself off the table. He snatched back his blades and headed over to the cages, fiddling with the locks.

"What was that all about?" Kratos inquired. "Are you alright?"

Lloyd nodded. "The swords aren't going to hurt the bearer of Origin's seal."

Zelos sighed. "You people and your magical swords."

Lloyd raised an eyebrow. "You use magical swords, Zelos."

"Not _that_ magic. My swords don't have a brain like yours."

Lloyd rolled his eyes as the lock popped open, then moved on to the next one. "Magar should be here in this facility. We might be able to get some answers here."

"Perhaps. Is this building like the other one?" Raine inquired as Lloyd picked the lock and the group headed over to the far wall, retrieving their weapons from a large barrel.

Zelos nodded, sheathing his sword. "Yeah. The two buildings are identical. I'm guessing it's to ensure stability for the mana cannon. I always thought it was weird that there was no variation in the two facilities."

"Well, now you know why." Raine muttered.

Lloyd sighed and turned toward the large metal doors on the other side of the room. "Come on. We don't have much time to waste. Once we gain control of the mana cannon, we'll need time to reconfigure and fire it. I'd imagine it takes a while to charge."

"Wait, Lloyd. What about security?" She looked to Zelos. "Is this building outdoor heavy as well?"

"I should think so. They did fire at us earlier. Meaning they saw us on surveillance." Zelos shrugged.

"Yeah. Meaning we should be fine. Besides... what's a few Desians to get rid of?" Lloyd inquired, pushing at the door. Surprisingly, it opened, and Lloyd froze.

Standing on the other side of the door was a half-elf looking to be about Lloyd's age, long white hair pulled into a high ponytail, bangs hanging down into his face. He was dressed in typical Desian clothes, though he certainly didn't look like one, having not a normal Desian weapon on him, but a large bo strapped to his back. He was much too tall, towering a few inches over Lloyd, but his face still retaining the youthful look. His eyes shone a violent aquamarine when he looked up. "I figured a place like that wouldn't hold the infamous Lloyd Irving."

"Carlan..." Lloyd muttered. "What do you want?"

"Lloyd, who is this?" Colette inquired softly, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Second Lieutenant Carlan. He works in the field for Heaven. He was one of the main people feeding me information on Exsphere locations. He met with me more than Garr did," Lloyd explained quietly. "You think you're going to stop me, Carlan?"

"Hell yeah, I am. I'm not gonna let you lay a finger on Magar."

"Yeah right." Lloyd went silent for a moment. "I won't fight you, Carlan. You know you can't beat me."

"Maybe not." He pulled his Bo off his back. "But I have to try. Magar doesn't want you guys anywhere near the control room."

"I won't fight you, Carlan," he repeated.

"That's too bad," Carlan growled. "Cause that means you're going to die... by my hand."

"Damnit!" Lloyd suddenly shouted. In an instant, he had Carlan up against the wall, one hand wrapped firmly around his neck, the other holding the hand that bore his staff against the wall. "So really... everything... all that time... the entire damn thing was a lie?"

"Lloyd...?" Colette whispered. She looked to Kratos, who merely stared at the ground.

"Guys, go after Magar... I have a score to settle," Lloyd commanded.

"Lloyd, we can't just leave you to-!"

"Yes you can!" he growled, cutting Raine off. He quieted his voice. "I'll catch up in a minute, but I have to take care of him first."

The group hesitated, but Kratos quickly put his hands on Raine and Zelos' shoulders, pushing them down the long hallway and toward the back room. "Come on, guys. Let Lloyd handle this. You can trust him."

_Can we...?_ Sheena dared not speak her thought. She felt traitorous for even thinking it, but she allowed herself to be pushed away and soon used her own legs to propel her toward the back along with the rest.

Colette glanced over her shoulder, then looked to Kratos as they picked up speed. "Kratos... do you think... that Carlan person...?"

The angel nodded. "Yes. I can only guess... that young man is the reason Lloyd has been acting so strange. I can only hope he works things out. I hate to see Lloyd like this."

Colette nodded as they burst through the doors of the main lab.

_To be continued..._

* * *

Bijin: Man... I am the queen of typos. Took forever to proof-read this, and I doubt I got all of them. Oh well. Hope you guys are enjoying this. The next chapter might be up today, and if not, it'll be up tomorrow. Stay tuned, people! 

**Next: Chapter: Lloyd's Reason**


	11. Lloyd's Reason

Bijin: Woot! Two chapters in one day! I can't believe I finally did this! I have had the material written for a while, but never actually got around to posting more than one chapter a day! XD As this is the second chapter today, I won't be doing reviewer responses. Hope you guys enjoy the chapter.

And now... the chapter you've all been waiting for...

* * *

**Chapter 11: Lloyd's Reason**

"A lie...?" Carlan repeated, his voice strained to the back of his throat. "Perhaps it was... what's the big deal?"

Lloyd gave a yell and tossed Carlan off to the side, landing him on his hip. Lloyd stared at the ground as he spoke. "Damnit... so... everything that happened...? All those times we would hand out in Altamira... having coffee in Sybak... all those conversations... they meant nothing to you?"

"You're acting like I've dumped you, man. Get over it," Carlan coughed, getting to his feet.

"We were friends, damnit!" He quieted. "You were the only one I had."

"Lloyd... we were never really friends. I let you think that way as long as my superiors said it was all right. I simply played a part. You were simply responding in the wrong way, that's all." Carlan dusted himself off and swung his bo behind his back.

"That's a lie! You used to always suggest we go do something after I would get an Exsphere back! You saved my life! The time those hunters caught up with me when I was wounded. You saved me!"

"I couldn't let you die. You're the only one we had access to that was powerful enough to get the exspheres back. Not to mention you're the only one who knows where the stores are." Carlan shrugged. "Look... I acknowledge it was a lie. Why don't you do the same thing? I would rather get this fight over with. I may not be as powerful as you, but for my master, Magar... I will kill you."

"Damnit, you're lying again!" Lloyd shouted, his swords leaping from their sheathes and crossing against Carlan's bow.

"You've gotten faster. You're impressive even with those bracers on."

"Shut up!" Lloyd growled. _I'm actually slower, but I'm faster than him. I can't even pull my wings out here and I've got too much mana in my body. It's clogging up my mana circulation and slowing me down. And I'll only get slower, so I need to get these things off soon so I can pull my wings out._

Lloyd shoved all his force into one of his swords, shooting Carlan's bo out of its defensive stance, and causing the pale-haired man to stumble. Lloyd brought the tip of his other sword to Carlan's neck. "If that's all you've got, you're a mere joke to me."

Carlan just laughed. "You always were a weird one, Lloyd. The only thing is... I know you won't kill me. You can't, can you?" Lloyd glared at him. Carlan was suddenly in his face; bo already reeled back to strike. "You still think we're 'friends', don't you?" The end of the Bo suddenly planted into the small soft spot directly between Lloyd's ribs. The half-angel stumbled back, gasping for breath, dropping to his knees for a second as Carlan stood completely. "Did you know that the place at the base of the breast bone is called the Solar Plexus? If the Solar Plexus is hit like that, it causes breathlessness, not to mention pain." He swung his bow around again. "Imagine if you were hit there twice." He chuckled and paused. "Actually... imagine if I broke that Solar Plexus... what do you suppose would happen?"

Lloyd stood, a sword-laden hand on his stomach. _Damn that hurt..._ He held up his swords again, having to work to calm his breathing.

"You wanna try again? Alright." Carlan muttered, taking an offensive stance.

Lloyd rushed. This time, instead of clashing against his bo, Lloyd brought one sword down at his head, catching the attention of his weapon, while the other charged at his mid-section. Carlan grunted, throwing his body to the side, only catching a glancing blow, but still causing a considerable slice in his side. He gave a scream, freezing Lloyd's movements for a moment. This gave Carlan time to duck his head and swing his bo downward from its current position, landing the tip of it at the junction of Lloyd's neck and shoulder. Lloyd's legs failed him again, and Carlan jumped back, also dropping and putting a hand to his side. He chuckled. "You really are fast." He looked up as Lloyd put a hand to his neck. "Ah yeah... the neck. That place I hit has a lot of nerves, veins, and arteries in it coming from your head. If you are hit there with enough force, you begin to feel dizzy and light-headed as the blood coming and going from your brain has been slowed for a split second. But even that split second is enough to give you waves of dizziness for a while."

"Shut up! I'm not interested in hearing your know-it-all explanations!" Lloyd growled, getting to his feet. _He's right though. He hit me hard, and I can barely see straight._ He stared at Carlan as he, too, got to his feet. _He uses a Bo and even from past experiences, I know he specializes in long-range combat. And with my swords, so do I. Meaning I won't be able to expose a weak point unless I change my style._ He looked down. _Considering I'm faster than him... this should work._ He suddenly dropped his swords to the ground and took off toward Carlan, who made the mistake of blinking. For when he opened his eyes again, Lloyd was directly in front of him, having gotten through his bo's range. Several punches landed in his gut before one smashed across his face, sending him reeling back. Lloyd didn't follow, however. He stood in place, his hands held up in front of him.

"You should've followed up!" Carlan scolded loudly, swinging his bo downward at Lloyd's head. Lloyd crossed his arms and caught the bo's decent. Carlan blanched when he discovered what else was in the path of his bo.

His weapon had come into direct contact with the glowing rings that surrounded his wrists.

Lloyd's smirk held something of a wince as the metal cracked, sharp edges digging into his forearms. But nontheless, the metal crumbled away, leaving large gashes in his arms.. "Thanks, Carlan. You really are a friend." He shoved the bo off his arms and fell backward, landing on his hands and throwing himself back to where his swords were. "I knew that without a blow hard enough to crack the metal under the mana circulation, I couldn't do anything about the bracers, and there was no way that I could produce a blow that hard to my own wrists. So... I had you do it for me." He held up his bloodied forearms, gathering mana into his fingertips. "And now that I've gained partial control over my mana again, I can do this." He leaned down and quickly destroyed the two bracers on his ankles, standing straight. His wings burst from his back, folding but sparkling just as brilliantly as ever. "My turn for an informative lecture, Carlan."

Carlan growled. "You're as observant as ever. Though I hear you weren't like that before I met you."

"I suppose not. I made that a point once I started hunting for exspheres and started focusing on it even more after you all betrayed me."

"Will you just let that go? It's over. It's done. Get over it!" Carlan shouted, this time rushing at Lloyd, his bo wound up to strike. Lloyd caught the strike on his crossed swords, holding him back for a moment.

"I won't let it go! Not until this is done! And I'll especially not let you go, damnit!"

Carlan chuckled as he was thrown back, only to strike again, this time at Lloyd's right side. Lloyd held out his right arm, as if to block with that, but then flipped his left sword over his right arm, using his arm as a brace for the impact against the sword. "Aww, how touching," Carlan cooed mockingly.

"Shut up!" Lloyd shouted, pushing the bow away and taking a two-bladed slice at him. Carlan knocked the blades away and came again, aiming the tip at Lloyd's middle. The broad side of his red sword crossed over his middle, catching the Bo's tip. "You kept me human..." Lloyd muttered. "Even as I was losing my humanity, you allowed me to stay human just simply by reminding me what it was I was trying to save. Or at least what I thought I was trying to save. The people closest to me; my friends!" He shoved the bo away. "But then I find out that not only was it a lie, but you were working with the people trying to strip away my humanity even more than it already was!"

Carlan came again, his mouth a thin line. He came at his side again. Lloyd crossed his swords to the left, catching the Bo. "And now I'm even less of a human than I was when you betrayed me. Slowly this hate as festered in my mind and all I can think about it how much I can't wait for this damn device to finish the job of taking away all of my human blood. Because I hate your kind so much... elves... half-elves... I can't stand how much I hate them." He sighed, the hate beginning to recede from his eyes to be replaced by true remorse. "But there were always exceptions to that... there was you... someone I came to care for like I care for a brother... kind of like Genis. We understood each other, as we had both been outcasts at one time. That understanding... even though it did nothing to deter the loss of my human blood... before I even knew I was losing it... it helped keep me human. And suddenly... this happens!!" He drew his swords suddenly apart, energy exploding from the blades, shattering the bo they held at bay into several tiny pieces. Before he knew what he was doing, Carlan was pressed back against the wall, blood hitting Lloyd in the face and dribbling down his shirt, one of his swords pinning Carlan to the wall by his chest. Lloyd stared at Carlan for a long moment, as if he didn't realize what he had just done.

Carlan coughed and blood splashed to the floor along with the drops coming from his fingers. Blood was running in currents down his arm, but he managed a smile. "That was well-done, Lloyd. You've been improving... in our last spar... I nearly beat you."

Lloyd removed his sword, dropping it with a clang. Carlan flopped to the floor and put his good hand to his chest. "I told you you couldn't kill me."

Lloyd dropped to his knees, looking at Carlan, who pointed at the wound. "You missed all the organs, but my right arm is probably useless now. Nice work."

"Shut up." Lloyd growled, punching the ground beneath him.

There was a long silence between the two, neither one neither moving nor attempting to say anything. Finally, Carlan coughed again, splashing more blood to the floor, and sighed. "Just like old times, eh?" Lloyd looked up. "Neither of us was very good at talking when we needed to, so we would always sit in cafe and bars silently. Everyone would look at us funny."

Lloyd smirked. "That was because you look like a girl. They thought we were a couple."

"I do not look like a girl. How many times have you accused me of that?"

"I've lost count. And you do look like a girl, Carlan. You're hair is too pretty, and you wear it in a ponytail."

Carlan chuckled. "So do you."

Lloyd shrugged. "Mine's masculine, at the very least. High ponytails like that are girly."

"Yeah, whatever."

Another silence followed, and Carlan sighed. "And you're as hesitant as ever, always talking big, but never actually doing anything." Lloyd looked up, a powerful glare directed at him. "You're dilly-dallying around here when your friends are off to face my boss." Lloyd stood, grabbing his swords and beginning to wipe the blood off when something grabbed his pant leg. He looked down to see Carlan's weak smile. "You know... you did beat me, and I suppose I owe you some information."

Lloyd knelt again. "Information?"

Carlan nodded. "Yeah... for one... you're probably wondering about Magar, huh? I'm pretty sure you know about his connection to Yggdrasil by now." Lloyd nodded.

"Well yeah, but why's he doing this? Like... turning Derris-Kharlan around. I mean... the only reason I know Heaven did that is because we hacked into the computers at the other facility and found the order records."

"You had to hack into the computers to find out? Didn't you get an ultimatum?"

"Ultimatum?" Lloyd repeated. "You mean... you guys were going to use Derris-Kharlan against us?"

"Hold your horses," Carlan muttered. "I'll explain things..."

* * *

"Double..." Kratos waved his sword once, sending a burst of energy against one Desian, then targeting another. "Demon Fang!" Yet another sent a whip at him, which he stepped on before launching at him and slicing across his chest. He growled and looked around. Another Desian came at him with a sword, clashing against his and forming a stalemate. He looked around. The group was struggling quite a lot. They had come through the doors to meet a rather large grouping of Desians. Not having the advantage of a sneak-attack certainly wasn't working in their favor. A large stray fireball slammed into the side of his opponent and he chuckled at Genis. "Nice aim." 

Genis rolled his eyes as Kratos busied himself with another small group. Genis glanced around at the group nearby and with a grunt, leapt backwards, placing a hand to the ground and pumping a large amount of mana below him, speeding up the time it took to cast his current favorite spell. Mana lit up the ground and spun around them, filling the air with glitter. "Indignation!" He shouted. A flash of light brought all seven enemies down and Genis smirked. "It'll take more than all that to take me down." He glanced around, noticing Raine, and flipping his kendama again.

Raine held off a sword and glanced over at an approaching whip-wielder, sending a burst of fire at him before looking back at her current opponent. She could sense a few others come near and she winced, bracing herself for an impact when mana lit up the air around her, electricity cackling and dancing around her. From some feet behind she heard, "Spark Wave!" Once the group had fallen, she turned and smiled at Genis.

"Thanks." Genis nodded and turned back to help Kratos while Raine turned her attention to the ones surrounding Colette. She gathered energy into her staff, shooting mana toward them.

Colette swung her chakrams left and right, slicing at any Desians who came near, but her movements were ineffective at the least, causing only minor injuries and they were too close for her type of combat. A brilliant light shone overhead, Raine shouting, "Ray!" from a few feet back.

Several fell, and to the ones left, Colette spun around releasing energy from her weapons and downing the last few. "Ring Whirlwind!" She turned her attention to a small grouping waiting their turn and held up her arm. "Hammer Rain!" Small hammer-shaped balls of energy rained down on them, downing several and turning the rest of their attention toward her. She charged foreword to meet them.

Zelos felt foreign mana flood his body, a large cut on his side healing instantly and he held up a shield-laden hand. "Thank you, Your Highness!" he shouted. He smirked at the group and sighed. "You're gonna pay for playing dirty, you know. All this group charge on the poor Zelos Wilder." He smirked and shoved his sword downward, thrusting mana into the ground below them. Concrete was uprooted as stone shot up from the ground in several places slamming against the Desians nearby. "Grave!" Several still remained and Zelos suddenly found that he was unable to remove his sword. The concrete would not yield it back to him as the thrust downward was much more powerful than the thrust upward could be. Water suddenly erupted at his feet dousing him completely before subsiding and erupting elsewhere. He looked over, seeing Sheena, her hands folded, a summoning circle below her, and Undine floating not too far away. He looked back at the sword and sighed. The hilt and his hands were now all wet. He groaned. "How ironic is it that my sword is called Excalibur and I can't get the damn thing out of this concrete?"

Something suddenly slammed into his back sending waves of pain through his being. He screamed and dropped to his knees, holding his sword hilt for support not to fall flat on his face. The waves subsided and he turned enough to see a rather large half-elf standing behind him. He was a burly man wearing a rather flashy looking piece of red armor. A large cape billowed behind him and Zelos figured he reminded him of Botto, were it not for his paper-white hair and dark skin. He growled. "Who the hell are you?" He demanded weakly.

"Zelos!" Sheena shouted, bringing a smile to the redhead's face. He then growled as she screamed, the man having fired another blast from the small gun he was holding.

"What... is that?" he inquired of no one.

The man said nothing as attention turned from the now-defeated enemies, to the newcomer, aiming attacks and casting spells at him. He wasted no time in setting the gun down and charging his fist into the ground. There was silence for a split second before the ground erupted with electricity, shocking everyone, including the two already shot, who promptly lost consciousness. Kratos looked up and growled. "I take it... you're Magar... an attack that rattles the mana flow in the body would only be permitted in the leader of this place. Not to mention a gun that shocks the mana flow into freezing."

"You know... you're pretty observant for a human..." Magar commented, approaching Kratos and kneeling in front of him. He grabbed his chin and forced him to look up. Kratos growled. "Though... you do look familiar... are you really human?" He turned Kratos' face to either side, as if examining him. Kratos had to admit that Magar did seem distantly familiar. However, if he had met him it would've only been in passing. His name certainly didn't ring any bells. Kratos shivered as the man ran a hand along his neck, then down to the small of his back.

"What the hell are you doing?" Genis demanded. "Get away from him!"

Magar didn't even acknowledge him with a look. He simply rooted his fingers into a certain spot at Kratos' back, and shoved downward, sending a pulse of painful mana into his body. Kratos screamed, his wings exploding from his back, and falling limply to his sides. Magar released his chin, allowing it to hit the ground and backed up slightly. "Ha... thought so. You're Kratos Aurion. One of the four Seraphim and that Lloyd brat's old man."

Kratos growled. "No one... save for the people around me... and Lloyd should know... that I used to work for... Yggdrasil. How... do you know?"

"Because he used to work for Yggdrasil as well." Lloyd's voice preceded his entry.

"Ah... speak of the devil..." Magar muttered.

"I've said it once, I'll say it again... get the hell away from my dad," he shot.

Magar sighed and stood. "You are quite the arrogant one, Lloyd. You always have been that way, haven't you? Never turning anything in, only using us to locate exspheres..."

"I did what you told me to. You asked me several times to escort your field agents when they were researching in less-than-friendly territory, and I did. It was... mutually beneficial... wasn't that how you put it?"

"Indeed, but the scale was uneven... you didn't give us nearly the equal of what we gave you," Magar reasoned, taking a few steps away from Kratos and toward Colette.

Lloyd took a few steps as well, though in the opposite direction, beginning a small circle between the two of them. "It doesn't matter. That's what we agreed on. When we originally got together to discuss our partnership, you didn't mention what I was to do with the exspheres. In fact, I told you that I wasn't going to disclose anything to you about their whereabouts or what I was going to do with them. Therefore what I did for you and what you did for me has nothing to do with now."

"You are a shrewd businessman, Lloyd Irving."

"Shut up. My name is Lloyd Aurion, and I am done with you, you hear me?"

"Oh no, my boy." Magar smirked. "It is I who am done with you."

"Cut the crap, Magar. You're a worthless radical with an outdated and worn-out cause," Lloyd growled. "You've got no right to say that kind of stuff to me."

"Outdated...? Lloyd... what's going on?" Colette inquired as she slowly managed to sit up.

Lloyd pointed a sword at Magar. "Magar used to be an agent of Yggdrasil... a strong one, too. Yggdrasil was planning on getting rid of Yuan and Dad, and Magar and Remiel were in line to take their places as two of the Four Seraphim."

Kratos grunted and propped himself up on his elbows. "That must be where I remember you from. You were with Pronyma shortly after I returned to Cruxis the first time."

Magar chuckled. "It took you that long to remember me? I'm hurt."

Kratos sighed. "There weren't any introductions you idiot, and the meeting lasted less than five minutes."

Magar shrugged and Lloyd continued. "Magar is a firm believer in Yggdrasil's aim for an age of lifeless beings. That's probably the reason why you agreed to work with me... you need the exspheres. You can't create a single lifeless being without the Cruxis Crystal to fuel the transformation. And you can't make a Cruxis Crystal without an exsphere."

Magar shrugged. "What can I say? Life is like that, I suppose."

Lloyd ignored him. "Either way, when you found out I was not going to hand any over to you, you and Heaven betrayed me... you probably intended to do that all along if I didn't do what you wanted. You hired angel hunters to work and alienate me from the rest of the world in order to make me hate everyone so much that I would agree with your plan. But when after six months, it didn't work, and you took another step. You used the two mana cannons from the Heaven HQs and turned Derris-Kharlan around and target the Neo World." His grip on the sword tightened. "You were planning on sending an ultimatum to me... saying that you would not stop Derris-Kharlan unless I gave you the locations of the exsphere stores." He growled. "You're a madman... I'm never going to hand those damn things over to you! You're going to destroy the planet!"

Magar chuckled. "Then so be it." Lloyd seemed taken aback. "Why do you think we were willing to take that chance in the first place? The world might as well be destroyed if we can't create an age where everyone is equal! And now it depends on you. Will you destroy the world, or save it again?"

"Turning everyone into those freaks isn't going to save the world! It'll destroy it just as Derris-Kharlan would!" Lloyd shouted back.

Raine's eyes went wide. "That's what Garr meant at the other base..."

**FLASHBACK**

Lloyd smirked. "We're going to stop it." He announced.

Garr shrugged. "Say what you want, Angel. This is a double-or-nothing bet, so there's not too much you can do against us."

"Double or nothing...?" Raine inquired softly.

"Kill them." Garr commanded.

**END FLASHBACK**

"It's a double-or-nothing bet because if they don't get what they want, everyone loses everything," she whispered.

"And Magar's association with Yggdrasil and his cause to create an age of lifeless beings explains why there are Desians working here." Genis mentioned.

"What I want to know is why you didn't send me an ultimatum when you first turned Derris-Kharlan around. It seems pointless to do that and not even tell me about it."

Magar laughed, putting a hand to his face. "Well, it's actually kind of funny. We couldn't very well stop Derris-Kharlan after we started it since we knew that someone would catch us if we fired that kind of blast two more times and possibly a third time. If someone did catch us, everything would be for naught anyway, and it would be better if Derris-Kharlan had started moving. But after we started sending hunters after you, you vanished. You apparently made it your business to hide and we couldn't find you anywhere." Lloyd scoffed. "What _I_ want to know is how you came across all this juicy information. It seems a little too perceptive for the Lloyd I know."

Lloyd chuckled. "Carlan told me about it. Seems he wasn't as on your side as you thought."

"Well damn that little salamander," Magar laughed quietly. "Oh well. You got the message, didn't you? So... what's it going to be...?"

Lloyd shot foreword, two blades of energy going in front of him. "My answer is hell no!" he shouted. Magar smiled and sidestepped the blasts to catch Lloyd's swords. Lloyd stared at him._ He caught my swords... barehanded!!_ Indeed, the man's hands had clasped against the broad sides of his swords, holding them still. Magar smiled.

"You do realize that my rank here has nothing to do with military... the hierarchy here is the same as with Cruxis... the biggest guy makes the rules..." He charged his head foreword, slamming it into Lloyd's and drawing blood. Lloyd yelped and stumbled backward, his vision swimming. He looked up, seeing Magar coming at him with a mana-charged fist. Lloyd dashed to the side, skidding to a halt and crossing his swords. "Eternal Cross!" he shouted, bringing the blades apart and sending an 'x' of energy at him. Magar grunted and sidestepped again, getting grazed on his arm as he did so. He took off after Lloyd again, charging every step with mana and shooting it through the ground to Lloyd. Lloyd felt each wave shock his body, but did nothing to avoid it, as he had to focus on the man charging at him with the power of a rhino. He crossed his swords against his punch, but his other fist came up on the far side of him slashing through the tip of his tender wing. Lloyd yelped and drew his swords apart, slicing open the man's knuckles. He stumbled back, looking down at his bloodied hand, then growling at Lloyd.

_He's lost his cool..._ Lloyd dodged to the side as his left fist swung at him. _His fists are his weapons... his legs too. He has nearly unparalleled strength in his arms and legs meaning he has no need for a weapon. Therefore... if I can incapacitate his arms and legs... or at least his fists... I'll be in good shape._ As the punch went by him, he brought his sword down toward Magar's arm. The Heaven leader growled at him and turned around right before the slice came, allowing it to slice his right arm again rather than his left. Lloyd growled. _He's having me attack the right arm more than once so I don't hurt the left one at all._ A fist planted in Lloyd's gut and he went flying backward, landing on his back and staring up at Magar.

"Did I mention I'm left-handed?" Magar inquired quietly.

"You seem to have forgotten that..." Lloyd growled, getting to his feet.

Magar chuckled and charged again, left fist wound and charged. Lloyd thought fast, dropping to his knees and wincing as he flapped his wings a single time to give him a small burst foreword. As he passed Magar, he held out his sword cutting a deep slice in the man's shin. Magar dropped to his knees, holding a hand over the injury. Lloyd saw the opportunity, and stood straight, holding his swords straight up and down before him. Mana swirled around at his feet and he began a chant.

"I call upon the gods of thunder... take my sword and give me the power to defeat those who stand against me..."

Kratos' eyes went wide. "Is he... casting an angelic spell?"

Raine nodded, bringing Zelos to. "Huh? He's doing what?" Zelos inquired, sitting up and looking blearily up at Raine. "It's her Highness... you saved me..." He spread his arms as if awaiting a hug, but Raine's focus remained on Lloyd. Zelos looked as well. "Holy crap!! Lloyd you don't have time for that!"

Zelos was correct. Magar realized what Lloyd had been doing and took off at him, slamming his shoulder into his chest before the chant was complete. Magar chuckled. "Well well well... the half-angel knows an angelic spell... interesting."

Lloyd got to his feet and growled at him. _That spell takes too long. He's lost a lot of blood and his movements are slowed by that cut on his leg... I can probably finish him off with a Falcon's Crest... but I need to get him close enough to do it and also have the time to cast it. With my current blood loss and fatigue, it'll take a few seconds to gather the mana to do it..._ Magar rushed again, aiming his left fist at his head. Lloyd grunted and dropped to his knees again, jutting his sword out and slicing cleanly against his other leg. Magar fell to the ground completely. Lloyd jumped to his feet. _Now!_ Mana shot into the ground below him, overflowing and floating up around him like glitter. "Here's some justice for you!!" Lloyd shouted, leaping into the air, more mana charged into his sword. "Falcon's Crest!!" He slammed the mana down, an explosion blinding everyone for a moment. Once they could see clearly again, Lloyd stood a few feet away from a half-conscious Magar, his weight resting on his red sword.

Magar chuckled weakly, blood dribbling from his mouth. "You are really a fool, Lloyd... why is it that someone like you doesn't wish for an age of lifeless beings...? One who has been persecuted and hated just like half-elves have in the past..."

Lloyd stood straight, his entire body shaking. "Even if it is retreating... I still have a small bit of humanity left... and unlike you who have human blood in you, I listen to that bit of humanity. Humans may disgust me at times... however... that bit of humanity is my voice of reason. You want to change the world to end discrimination. But changing everyone into those lifeless beings won't change anything... discrimination will continue. That is a part of us that will never go away." He looked over to Genis, who merely stared at him. Lloyd then looked to Magar. "I've said before that discrimination comes from the heart... the weakness of the heart. That weakness will never go away... not matter what we are changed into. After all... everyone has the same heart. It's only the stuff around it that is different."

Magar laughed again. "How touching. You certainly know how to put on a corny show." Lloyd growled. "Carlan! Do it... now."

Lloyd looked up. At the control panel was one bleeding Carlan, a weak smile on his face as his fingers flew over several controls. Red light poured into the area, an alarm wailing. Carlan smiled and looked toward Magar. "It's done..."

Magar nodded and pointed his left fist up at the control panel. A small ball of electricity glowed there for a moment before shooting foreword and slamming into the platform Carlan stood on.

The control panel blew up.

Lloyd took a few steps toward Carlan, but stopped. Carlan shook his head. "There's nothing you can do now, Lloyd. Magar has destroyed the only means to deactivate the self-destruction. There would be no point in dying here, so get out of here..." He waved a hand at him.

Lloyd paused before looking to the wall nearest the group and crossing his swords in front of his body. "Get out of the way!" Lloyd shouted. The group scrambled to respond, moving either left or right. "Eternal Cross!" Two blades of energy erupted from the tip of his sword, carving two large openings in the wall. Raine pulled the half-conscious Sheena to her feet and headed out, followed closely by Genis, Colette, and Zelos. The last paused and called inside.

"Lloyd, are you crazy? Come on!" he shouted. Lloyd stooped next to Kratos.

"You alright, Dad?" He inquired over the alarm.

Kratos worked himself to his feet. "Yeah, I'll be alright. He hit a pressure point for my wings..." He grunted and dropped lower to the floor, Lloyd catching him on his arm.

"Zelos! Come help my dad, will you?"

The redhead sighed and dashed over, wrapping one of Kratos' arms over his shoulder and slowly making his way out. He paused against before he left. "What about you?"

Lloyd waved him off. "I'll be out in a second. Go!" Zelos rolled his eyes and Lloyd turned back to the destroyed control panel. "Carlan!" The wounded man looked up. "Carlan, come on! I'll get you out of here!"

Carlan stood and shook his head. "No thanks. Go ahead!"

"What the hell are you talking about, Carlan? We have to get you out of here or you'll die!"

"You think I don't know that?" Carlan shouted back. He sighed and looked down. After a moment, he looked up again. "I couldn't forgive myself for betraying you... and I also can't tear myself away from my desire to live in a world of lifeless beings. I couldn't face the world after helping in something like this..."

"You coward!" Lloyd screamed, sheathing his swords. "You're just running! Get your ass down here!"

Carlan chuckled. "That sounds like you." He shook his head. "But I'm still not coming." He sighed. "Magar saved me. I lived a life full of anger and hatred, scorned by those around me and accepted by neither humans nor elves. I hated life and wanted to die... but Magar showed up... and he gave me a purpose... to realize the dream of living in a world where everyone was the same. That's the only reason I am still alive. Even if I survived this... the only thing left to do would be to threaten you into giving up the exspheres, and I couldn't do that. I couldn't hurt you again. Not like I have. So... death is the only option for me."

Lloyd stared at him for a long moment. A voice above him blared a five-minute marker, and he gritted his teeth before turning and running toward the opening. "You bastard!!"

Carlan chuckled as Lloyd vanished out the hole in the wall. "Bastard, huh...? Well... I suppose I deserved that." He looked down at Magar. "I suppose this is the end of the line, huh?"

"Ya think?" Magar inquired, chuckling weakly. "Oh well... we tried..." he muttered, calm in the face of death.

Carlan nodded. "Yeah... we tried."

_To be continued..._

* * *

Bijin: Alright! Hope you guys found some stuff out about what's going on, but what's this! The second mana cannon and the only method of stopping/destroying Derris-Kharlan has been blown up! OMGWTFBBQ!111! 

XD Stay tuned!

**Next Chapter: Reeling Desperation**


	12. Reeling Desperation

Bijin: Alright, next chapter. Umm... I'll do review responses for the past two chapters since I posted the two of them the same day.

Catwarrior: Yeah, things got a little crazy there. And Sheena still doubting him? Poor Lloyd. XD

bentlyandtalesofsymphoniafan: Yeah... stuff is pretty much screwed up. I mean... now they have no way of turning D-K around. XD But what happens is for you to read. Hope your questions about Lloyd have started to be answered. And I'm glad you like the fight scenes. They took awhile to plan out, but I am pretty pleased with them.

lloyd-forever: Huh... Lloyd rugby-tackling the planet away... Ouch, man... that would hurt. I mean... not to mention his impact would have no affect on the movement of the planet at all. So it would simply just bowl the poor dude over. ... Eeeeewww... Lloyd nu!

Maxmagnus20019: Thanks. Hopefully I can keep the quality up here.

So... yeah... chapter twelve time.

* * *

**Chapter 12: Reeling Desperation**

Lloyd darted out of the hole spotting nearby the entire group waving to him from where Regal and Presea had brought and parked all of the rheairds. He headed over to them looking around. Kratos waved him over. "Come on and sit on the back. We're short two rheairds since you flew here and Presea's is... um... in pieces."

"Told you that gun was destructive," Lloyd retorted unenthusiastically, hopping onto the back of Kratos' rheaird. Presea sat on the back of Regal's and the group took off away from the headquarters. Lloyd stared at it until it dissolved into a ball of fire. _Carlan... you never were all that set on betraying me, were you...? But... discrimination ran deeper than your ties with me did._ He scrubbed at his eyes quickly, staying silent as the group headed to land several miles east.

Raine sighed as she slipped off her rheaird, looking up at the darkening sky. "I can't believe this... that cannon was the only chance we had of stopping Derris-Kharlan. And we already know that there aren't any cannons in production that can help us."

Zelos sighed. "So... what's our next move?" There was silence. He rolled his eyes. "I dunno about you guys, but I'm not all that interested in blowing up, so what do we do now?"

Presea stood. "Actually... I think I may have an idea." She dug into her pocket and produced a large golden feather about the length of her forearm. "Maybe we could use this."

"Is that one of Aska's feathers?" Genis inquired, pointing at it.

Sheena shook her head. "It's not one of his. Aska's feathers are more red than gold."

Raine leapt to her feet. "I know what that is!" She paused as if for effect. "That's a Phoenix feather!"

Colette blue eyes sparkled. "Really? Wow!"

Presea nodded. "We saw it fly overhead while you guys were inside. We picked this up a little bit after while we were moving the rheairds."

"Phoenix feathers are said to be extremely powerful. Perhaps we could find something to do with it if we researched a little," Raine suggested.

"Well, stuff like that is bound to be either in the Sybak Library... or even the Royal Family Archives. If anywhere it'll be one of those places," Zelos informed them.

"So, we'll set off tomorrow," Regal announced. "We need to care for everyone's injuries." He added, glancing to Lloyd, who seemed lost in his own mind. Colette approached as the group began to unload the rheairds.

"Lloyd... are you alright?" she inquired quietly.

Lloyd looked up and nodded. "I'll be fine."

Colette didn't believe a word, but she gingerly grabbed his wrist and pulled him to his feet. "Come on... you're covered in blood. We need to get you cleaned up."

Lloyd gave no protest, sitting down and pulling his shirt up and over his head. Colette winced. He was covered in blood and bruises. Genis came and sat down, Lloyd paying no attention to either of them as they worked. Genis cast a water spell, gently maneuvering the water back and forth across his torso and arms to wash away the blood. Colette still felt sick to her stomach at the look of his chest. A small focused bruise was right at the junction of his ribs, turning red and looking like it had bled a small bit.

_The end of the Bo suddenly planted into the small soft spot directly between Lloyd's ribs_.

Another longer bruise sat at the junction between neck and the right shoulder, and that shoulder sat slightly higher than the other one, meaning the muscles had tightened dangerously.

_This gave Carlan time to duck his head and swing his Bo downward from its current position, landing the tip of it at the junction of Lloyd's neck and shoulder._

His forearms were not only bruised badly, but whatever had hit had broken the skin leaving long gashes, and she was pretty sure at least one of them was broken.

_"You should've followed up!" Carlan scolded loudly, swinging his Bo downward at Lloyd's head. Lloyd crossed his arms and caught the Bo's decent._

Blood dribbled down his face, originating from a bloodied bruise on his hairline.

_He charged his head foreword, slamming it into Lloyd's and drawing blood._

A large messy blob of a bruise was set on his abs already reddish brown.

_A fist planted in Lloyd's gut and he went flying backward, landing on his back and staring up at Magar._

A final elongated bruise sat all along his breastbone, an ugly brownish shade.

_Magar realized what Lloyd had been doing and took off at him, slamming his shoulder into his chest before the chant was complete._

Colette sighed and pulled a small bottle of ointment from her bag, squirting some onto her finger and gently spreading it across Lloyd's damaged chest. Raine approached soon after and took a look at his forearms, taking the right one in her hand and feeling along the length of it, watching his face for a wince. There was the tiniest of expressions changes in his face and she sighed. "I can tell that the right one is fractured. This is going to feel a little weird, Lloyd."

Lloyd didn't respond as she moved her staff over his arm, mending the bone immediately. Lloyd grunted slightly, but showed no other signs of pain.

Colette sighed. _All these wounds... and his expression... I was right... that man... Carlan... it was him who changed Lloyd into this. He hurt him so badly... I want to ask him, but... I've never seen Lloyd's eyes like this before._

Once the treatment was done, Lloyd stood and headed away. "I'm going to go wash up," he declared quietly. Kratos looked to Raine, and found her looking back at him. He nodded and followed.

* * *

Kratos sat himself down on the beach, pulling his scabbard from his belt and laying it next to him. Lloyd emerged from the water soon after, blood-free. He sat down nearby and sighed. "I'm not all that convincing, am I?" 

Kratos chuckled. "Well, not anymore, you're not." He sighed. "But acting like you were a monster... acting so fiercely against us... to push us away so you wouldn't be hurt again... isn't that hurting you more?"

Lloyd looked down and was quiet for a long time before he spoke. "I met Carlan shortly after I started working with Heaven. He was simply another operative, but he was different somehow. He always had a smile on his face, no matter what. It turns out he had been from a human village like me. But when it was discovered as a half-elf, they chased his family out, a lot like Raine and Genis. But rather than just chase them, the village members killed his parents, and his younger brother. Magar found him soon after that. Magar was looking for recruits for Heaven when he came across this half-alive child. Carlan was only about ten at the time, so Magar kind of raised him.

"He and I were close in age, so we had a lot in common. Both of us had developed hatred for the other races, but at the time, I didn't know he wanted an age of lifeless beings so badly. He was one of the two people that fed information to me about exsphere locations. Garr was the other one, but I never got along with Garr as well as with Carlan. Carlan was simply a nicer person to be around. He taught me how to hide what I was feeling... and for a time, I was able to stop myself from hating people so much. But as time wore on, the hatred grew and I found that acting like it wasn't there didn't work for very long. I admired him since he's been hiding things like this his entire life, and he still smiles.

"Carlan and I started hanging out outside of our duties as Heaven operatives. We went to cafes and had coffee together a lot. We would just sit... and talk... kind of. Eventually we ran out of things to talk about, but we still hung out. Maybe it was because... we were alike in so many ways. He even saved my life one time. A group of angel hunters had cornered me after a two-day chase. I was unable to fly and I had a pretty bad wound in my side. Suddenly Carlan appeared and fought them off." Lloyd sighed. "I soon found myself thinking of him as my brother. As if we were family. One day... Garr was scheduled to meet me near Hima, but when he showed up, he had an entire team of half-elves with him. They didn't look like Desians at the time, but I suppose they probably were. They all attacked. The fight lasted for a full day and dragged into Krimari. That was how that all happened. I thought that was just Garr at first. Garr always was a bit boorish and never really liked me at all. But then... the next week... Carlan got a hold of me and told me to meet him near Luin, and he would explain things. That was where he attacked me. It dragged a small part of Luin into the fight, but it didn't last long. Neither of us really hurt each other, just gave each other warning injuries. That was the only time he ever attacked me... but... when he did, I felt like my stomach had been ripped out... like... something like that couldn't possibly happen again. And then... once I met you guys again... I was so terrified... I'm ashamed to say it, but I was so scared... afraid that the same thing would happen. I know it had no basis... but... I couldn't think of anything to prevent that than to keep you from getting close in the first place."

"And that made it worse..." Kratos suggested.

Lloyd looked down. "I felt worse and worse as time went on. Those things I told Garr about hating the races... that was completely true, but... I said it then so that you all would hear it. But after I said it, I felt like a complete and total idiot. I couldn't stand myself. I wasn't just hurting myself anymore... I was hurting you all as well. And I had no idea how to stop it."

Kratos gave a heavy sigh. "You really are an idiot, aren't you?" Lloyd glared at him. "I mean... pretending that you hate us to push us away? I have to admit that it's effective, but..." He sighed, shaking his head and leaving his thought incomplete.

Lloyd looked down. "I suppose... there was another reason for acting like that..." Kratos glanced down. "Well... I knew I had changed since you last saw me, but to be honest... I didn't know how much I had changed. It's hard to keep track of those kinds of things yourself, you know...? But... I knew the hate I felt was new. I knew I didn't have this hate in me when we went on the journey of World Regeneration. Even though I didn't have any hate for you all, I knew you would think me a hypocrite... or a monster. I was afraid you would reject the new Lloyd just as everyone else had. So... I figured it would be less painful if you hated a mask I put on. The idea of you accepting me never really crossed my mind since I was so disgusted with myself. I didn't think of dawning a mask you might find acceptable."

Kratos chuckled weakly. "Anyway... are you ready to stop all this nonsense?" Lloyd looked down. "I mean... you probably have changed... I'll accept the fact that you aren't quite the Lloyd we knew three years ago... however, you are still Lloyd. Lloyd is Lloyd and no one is going to keep him from being Lloyd, ne?"

Lloyd sighed and nodded. "Thanks, Dad."

"Seems we've ditched the first-name crap," Kratos laughed.

Lloyd blushed faintly. "Sorry... about this morning, I mean... um... I was kinda struggling to find stuff to use. You weren't pushing me away, so I was just using anything I could to get you to back off."

"That sounds pleasant," Kratos muttered. "But don't worry about it. I knew that was over when you pulled Magar off me." He rubbed his back. "Those people sure know their pressure points. That really hurt. I've never had someone force my wings out before."

Lloyd shrugged. "I didn't know there was one for your wings."

Kratos nodded. "Apparently there is. When he pressed it, I felt all the mana usually used in my wings just explode. It hurt, but it also sent my wings out." He paused. "Lloyd... there's something I've been wondering about." Lloyd looked up at him. "There was something you said back there... something you said to Magar that... well... it kinda worries me." He looked down at him. "You told him that you only have a little bit of humanity left... and that it was retreating. What were you talking about?"

Lloyd fell quiet again, rubbing his left hand where his exsphere was seated. "This device..." he muttered, pointing to the metallic device that wrapped around his hand. "I told you that it focused the power of my exsphere...?"

"You lied, didn't you?"

Lloyd nodded. "That's what they told me it was when I first got it. They told me it would help on my journeys. But it's actually an Exsphere enhancer. It doesn't focus the power, but enhances the speed at which it evolves into a Cruxis Crystal." Kratos' eyes went wide.

"You mean you're...?"

Lloyd nodded. "Yeah... slowly, the exsphere has been feeding on my human blood. I only have about a quarter of human blood in me now. The rest is all angel." He shrugged. "I don't really think in all honesty it's a bad thing. After all... you lost all your blood to your Cruxis Crystal too, right?" Kratos said nothing. "But... the fact that it's being done... against my will... it makes me feel like I'm being turned into some kind of monster."

"Is that why it's been... exploding like that?"

Lloyd nodded. "Yeah. The energy from my human blood is being absorbed into the exsphere at an unnatural rate. The speed at which it is being consumed causes it to overload and the blood it consumes is being released as energy as it evolves."

Kratos stared down at it. "Well... can't you take it off?"

Lloyd shook his head. "No... Carlan explained things to me earlier today... This thing has been absorbing my human blood and gaining energy over the past few years. If I want to take it off... it'll probably kill me. Normally, a removed exsphere wouldn't be a problem when it has a key crest on it... but with this... it's absorbed so much of my human blood as energy... releasing the thing that keeps that energy in will also release all that energy. Nearly two and a half years worth of it."

"And considering it's you... whose wings prove you have more mana potential than most people alive... that would be some explosion," Kratos muttered.

Lloyd nodded. "Once it drains away all of my human blood... I'll be able to take it off. The circulation will be complete... it'll be a pure Cruxis Crystal... and I'll be a pure angel."

Kratos chuckled, looking down. "Then... I suppose we'll be together forever huh?"

Lloyd raised an eyebrow at the odd statement. "Huh?"

"Considering no one really knows how long an angel can live... the two of us will be stuck together for a while..." Kratos shrugged.

Lloyd paused, but then smiled. "Yeah... but... when you put it that way... this device seems to actually doing us a favor." He glanced at it. "It'll keep you from being alone for the rest of your life, ne?"

Kratos sighed and mussed his son's hair. "You have a simple mind for how old you are."

"What's wrong with that?"

Kratos waved his hands. "Nothing... nothing at all."

Lloyd sighed, leaning back on his hands and staring up at the night sky. "Dad...?"

"Hmm?"

"Thanks."

"Oh shut up."

For the first time in years, Lloyd's pure laughter was heard nearby.

* * *

"So... we're back in Sybak. Looking at books..." Zelos droned boredly. "Can someone please tell me what the hell we're looking for?" 

Raine held a finger to her lips. "Zelos! Shhh!" she hissed.

Regal sighed. "We're looking for any mixture that includes a Phoenix Feather and can fire a beam." He dropped a few more books onto the table and took a seat next to the bored redhead.

"Hey... I was thinking... remember when the Giant Kharlan Tree went out of control and we had to fire a mana cannon at it?" Presea inquired. She looked to Sheena. "Do you think you would fire another cannon using the Summon Spirits to push it away?"

Sheena paused, as the idea seemed to spark some interest, though Raine, Kratos, Genis, and Sheena shook their heads. Sheena spoke. "No, that wouldn't work at all."

"Why not?" Zelos requested.

"Well... mana cannons are a bit different from other magitechnology. They actually... do very little work. A mana cannon in essence is... a focusing mechanism," Sheena began.

"Focusing mechanism?" Lloyd repeated.

Kratos nodded and picked up the thought. "See... an ample supply of mana isn't enough to make a mana cannon. You need something to focus your mana into a beam. The mana cannons created by magitechnology act as a focusing mechanism to sculpt the mana into the form of a beam. Without the focusing mechanism, all you have is a cloud of mana."

Lloyd leaned foreword. "But wait... I saw Sheena fire a mana cannon at those trees when we were in Derris-Kharlan. That time when Kratos saved all of you?"

Sheena shrugged. "I told you it was my version of it. At that time, I used my soul as the focusing mechanism. But my soul can only handle sculpting so much mana. That beam you saw me shoot was as big as it can possibly be."

Lloyd's forehead hit the table. "Fate is really not on our side."

"Hey! I think I found something!" Colette suddenly cried, holding up a book. The group jumped and looked to her as Colette handed the large item over to Raine.

"This is interesting... a rather mythological standpoint, but it has some merit. A Phoenix feather... a Linkite Nut Flute... and the power of a summon spirit. And if we use all of the summon spirits including Maxwell and Origin... it should multiply the power by about ten... right?"

Kratos leaned over her shoulder and shook his head. "Nah... That won't work."

"Why not?"

Kratos pointed at a small figure in the bottom corner. "It says that the output is only about ten thousand mana units per square foot."

"Yeah, but we have ten."

Kratos shrugged. "That still only brings it up to about 100 thousand mana units per square foot. In order to stop Derris-Kharlan, we'll need at the bare minimum about ten million."

Sheena sighed. "All the Summon Spirits together wouldn't be able to produce that much. This is hopeless..." She sighed, setting her forehead on the table.

Lloyd rolled his eyes. "You're giving up too easily..." He muttered, not looking at her. He was currently perusing through an old leather-bound text. "Think about it... that formula you just mentioned... with the Phoenix Feather... it used a song as the focusing mechanism and used the Phoenix Feather as a medium to gather the necessary mana to fire, correct?"

Raine blinked, then looked at the text again. "Yeah. It says that the Phoenix Feather was used to pull mana from the summoning spirit and channel it into the song played with the Linkite Nut Flute."

Lloyd still didn't look up. "Meaning there is a natural way to do this. Think about it... the fact that Heaven was able to fire that beam proves that the concept of shooting mana into outer space is possible. Not to mention there are natural items we can use to produce the same affect. The only question is... what are they?"

"Well... if a Phoenix Feather can draw out enough mana to fire a beam of 100 thousand mana units... how much could the entire Phoenix draw out?" Raine muttered quietly.

"The only problem is, you're drawing mana from the summon spirits themselves. They only have so much mana. In other words, weather or not the Phoenix itself can draw out more mana than that isn't the question. The only mana it has access to is that of the summon spirits," Zelos muttered. "Meaning even if we found the Phoenix, we might not be able to do it."

"Not necessarily..." Genis spoke up. He looked up from his book. "Phoenixes are creatures that ride on mana flows. They are far too large to actually fly since even though their bones are hollow, their slightly diminished wingspan isn't enough to keep them airborne. So... not only do they use their wings to glide, but they glide on currents of mana. That's why Phoenixes hadn't been seen before the Tree of Worlds was reborn. There was never enough mana in the air for them to keep adrift."

"So what does that mean?" Regal inquired calmly.

"It means that Phoenixes have more control over mana around them than we've been giving them credit for. They can absorb the mana in the air in addition to the mana of the summon spirits. And considering the only source of mana that Heaven used was mana from the air... if we can find a Phoenix... we should be able to get more then enough mana to destroy Derris-Kharlan."

There was silence at the table. The option of finding a Phoenix seemed rather absurd, but at this point, it seemed like they had come to the end of the road and the only thing left to do was jump out and hope something caught them. Lloyd suddenly stood as he became aware of the happenings around them. It seemed... they were the only ones in the library. He glanced to the doorway where several people were gathered, pointing upward and chattering in nervously hushed tones.

"Hey... what's going on?" He pointed at the commotion.

Genis stood as well and put a hand to Lloyd's chest. "You should wait here."

Lloyd blinked, but nodded and sat back down while the group headed over to the door, stood in place for a few moments, then returned to the table. Lloyd stood again. "What's going on?"

Genis looked down. "The sky has turned violet."

Lloyd's eyes widened. "Meaning... Derris-Kharlan is close enough for us to see it."

Kratos nodded, looking toward the doorway. "Luckily this change in sky color has happened before. People aren't as panicked as they would be if this were the first time. But they are still worried. Last time things turned out fine and only a few people actually know what went on. So no one is going to incite any panic like last time."

Lloyd looked down. "Yeah... but this still ties our hands..."

"What do you mean...?" Presea looked over at him.

"Now that we can see it... Derris-Kharlan is far too close to destroy... the Neo World will be caught up in the explosion. We now have no choice but to simply reverse its orbit."

_To be continued..._

* * *

Bijin: I just keep on screwing these people over, don't I? Sorry about that. XD Well... more problems are on the way! I definately wanted my fic to one where fate didn't roll things out onto a platter for them like it does in some cases. I think I'm doing an okay job so far... Hope you're enjoying it! 

**Next Chapter: Origin's Suggestion**


	13. Origin's Suggestion

Bijin: Alright... moving right along. Thanks for all the reviews, people. I enjoy hearing your feedback. I hope this story isn't getting too long for you... in fact I really hope you're not getting bored cause... we're not even close to being done. But don't worry, I keep it interesting until the end... I think. XD

lloyd-forever: Like I said, I definately keep screwing them over. XD Sorry about that.

bentlyandtalesofsymphoniafan: Huh... you've got a pretty analytical mind. Cool idea. You'll have to see if they use that or not.

Maxmagnus20019: Thanks.

Catwarrior: Because Lloyd's stupid like that. XD He's prone to that kinda stuff. But as for what they do, you'll have to find out for yourself.

* * *

**Chapter 13: Origin's Suggestion**

"Nothing... Nothing nothing nothing..." Genis droned quietly, his distracted eyes staring at the fire. "We've searched for two days and nothing has come up about the Phoenix or any other type of Cannon we can use."

Zelos sighed. "If we had time, we could apply to Sybak to have a mana tracker made, but it would take at least a week. Even on a rush-job. The plans are laid out for one, but to get the kind we need... it would take at least a week to come up with one."

"Isn't there one in use that we could maybe borrow? This is urgent," Raine muttered.

Zelos shook his head. "Nah... Those things are Angel-hunting technology. Even Warren and his gang don't have a general mana-tracker. They have trackers specifically designed to hunt angels. It wouldn't pick up a Phoenix's signature."

"Is there a device that tracks mana flows in the sky? Maybe we could find the one the Phoenix we saw was using," Presea suggested.

"No chance. Even if such a device existed, it would be pointless. Any elf or angel can sense mana flows in the air and anyone can tell you there are thousands of them. It would be impossible for us to find the one it used unless we could track its specific signature."

"Well... if it's a mana signature you're looking for, wouldn't Kratos be able to track it? Remember, he was able to catch wind of Lloyd's movements by use of his mana signature," Genis suggested.

"I can only sense half-elves and other angels since the two are so similar. And even tracking them is hard since angels only leave their trails when their wings are in use and half-elves leave very faint trails. I was able to lock strongly onto Lloyd's because he's my son. His is similar to mine, so my mana naturally focuses on finding that signature." Kratos shook his head.

"Dead end," Zelos muttered darkly. A silence followed.

Lloyd stared at the fire, as if lost in his own head. His brown hair slumped messily around his face, not really interested in fixing it after the destruction of the base. Sheena's eyes were drawn to his face, and she felt a small prick in the back of her mind. What was he thinking that somehow was affecting her? She shook her head and looked back to the fire. There was a suffocating silence that fell over the area, no one really wanting to admit what they would eventually have to accept. Zelos turned his face skyward, staring up at the large looming mass that only they knew to be Derris-Kharlan. It shimmered oddly, the violet mana catching the light from the stars and reflecting it down to the eyes of anyone who looked up. It was a dangerous beauty, that it was, and Zelos would've made a joke about how many of those he had met were the mood not serious.

"Sorry..."

The silence was shattered, and all eyes were drawn to where Lloyd now stood, his black cape covering most of his form. Colette's eyes softened suddenly. "Sorry for what?"

Lloyd looked to the dirt. "It's my fault... I recklessly hid the Exsphere stores from Heaven and in the end their motivation was such that they were willing to destroy everything if they didn't get what they wanted. Maybe I should've given them the locations. They would've stopped Derris-Kharlan."

Sheena stood. "No, Lloyd! You did the right thing! If they had gotten ahold of those exspheres, it would've repeated history! Cruxis would've been revived!"

Kratos nodded and stood as well. "You think discrimination is bad now, just let that happen. It would multiply exponentially."

Lloyd turned away, his wings shifting on his back and drooping until they vanished. "But we can defeat Cruxis on our own. We can't stop Derris-Kharlan with our hands, Dad." Lloyd left the campfire.

Sheena sighed, looking around. She took her seat again, and after a long moment, Zelos spoke. "You think Angel-boy is right? Think maybe we should've given them the locations?"

Kratos leaned back. "There's really no sense in worrying about it right now. The question of 'what should we have done' is a question that either doesn't have an answer or doesn't deserve one. What we need to think of is what _can_ we do?"

"We can't do anything... that's our problem," Regal stated firmly. "We need a beam or something of that nature to stop Derris-Kharlan. But how can we get something like that if there aren't any left? Not to mention that our idea with the Phoenix Feather failed."

Colette looked to her bag where the rare feather was kept for the time being. "Kratos... how many days would you say we have before the impact?"

Kratos gave a half-hearted shrug. "Dunno. I'd say two or three days left."

Sheena looked around at the group, then stood and headed away. "I'm going to check on Lloyd."

Zelos opened his mouth, but shut it again, before looking back at the fire. Kratos chuckled. "You really love that girl, huh?"

Zelos turned red and glared at him. "Why's that any of your business?"

Kratos fixed him with a serious look. "It's not... but if you ever want her to know... I'd say you do it now."

Zelos pressed his forehead to his knees and sighed.

* * *

When Sheena found the young half-breed, he was sitting slouched on a thick log near a small stream, fiddling with his own hands. She was about to approach when Lloyd's deep voice stopped her. 

"Another way...?"

He was apparently not addressing her. She glanced around. No one else was in the clearing. _Origin..._ Sheena figured. _The pact was made within Lloyd's body. Origin's spirit is stored in there, so they have constant contact, I suppose._

"Well... Genis may be able to help with that. He's got more than anyone I know."

Sheena raised an eyebrow. What were they discussing?

"I'd say Regal or Dad."

_What the hell is he volunteering them for?_ Sheena sighed silently.

"The focus...? Well that would have to be..."

Sheena perked up at the sound of weight in his voice. Bordering on anguish.

"No... I won't let Dad do that... Don't worry about it. I have a way around that."

_Lloyd... what's going on?_

"Then it's settled. I wish you'd told me about this sooner. We worried everyone for nothing." He was silent for a long moment then sighed. "I don't really care that much. Go away, please. I want some quiet. You've been chattering all night."

Sheena took a few steps into the clearing, staring at the back of his head. _Did he figure out a way to stop Derris-Kharlan?_ She reached out and was about to touch his shoulder when her foot snapped a small twig. Sheena barely had time to blink before Lloyd's left arm had lashed out, wrapping across the back of her shoulders, and his right elbow had pressed against her shoulder, a sword held at her neck. She yelped loudly, but Lloyd immediately released her once she did, dropping his sword and stumbling back onto his butt.

"Oww..." He looked up. "Sheena!" He stood and offered his hand. "God, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to freak you out."

Sheena stared at him for a long moment, noting that his wings had flared to life behind him. She shook her head. "No... Sorry for scaring you." She took his hand and he pulled her to her feet.

The brunette plopped onto the log and sighed, his wings folding and shaking themselves slightly. "You didn't scare me. It's just... over time I had to turn guarding my back into an instinct. That was just a reflex."

"But... you seem gentler than before... Your eyes aren't as... severe as they were when we first found you," Sheena muttered, taking the seat next to him.

Lloyd chuckled. "Are they...? I suppose that's the affect you all have on me, huh? You guys have helped me more than I can say. It's amazing how just having everyone around me makes such a difference."

Sheena stared at him for a long time. He seemed suddenly so tired. He was someone worn down, having seen more than his share of everything in his short lifetime. However, she couldn't help the next statement that came out of her mouth. "And yet you didn't contact anyone of us except... for the time in Mizuho..."

Lloyd glanced to her for a moment, before he turned his eyes down, staring at the dirt. "Sheena..." He chuckled ruefully. "I never really thought an apology would suffice to make up for what I've done to your village, or any of the other villages that I've ruined with my interactions with Heaven."

Sheena looked away. "But... why did you do that...? It was completely unwarranted. It had no point... and then... you said those things... I didn't know what to think." She looked back to him now. "Why? Why did you kill Kari? She had a son... what's left for him now?"

Lloyd averted his gaze, staring intently at the ground, his messy hair shielding his eyes from hers. "This may sound like an excuse... but I did not intend for that to happen." Sheena's eyes softened. His right hand covered the exsphere mounted on his left glove. "My Exsphere... it has been increasingly odd lately. That time in Mizuho... there were a few people who started pushing me around because I was only half human. I got so angry... I didn't know what to do. But then... the Exsphere activated itself in a way I'd never seen. That pulse of mana that left my body... it left without my permission."

Sheena was silent for a moment. "But... why did you say those things and make it seem as if you meant to?"

Lloyd shrugged after a pause. "For a long time, I didn't really understand why I said that. But after a while, it came to me... If the world thought I was evil, maybe it was best if you thought I was evil, too."

"What?"

Lloyd looked up, his eyes fixating on the looming form of Derris-Kharlan. "The world thinks I'm evil because I am part angel. There's not much that is going to change that. If the world knew how close you guys are to me... it was best if you stayed away from me. I thought making you think I was evil was a pretty good way to do it. Not to mention..." Sheena remained silent. "I just... I knew I had changed. Even I couldn't tell how different I was from the Lloyd I used to be. And... I didn't want you to see me like that. I didn't want to face the pain of you rejecting who I really was." He paused again. "The me you were rejecting before was simply a mask I put on to keep you at a distance... I thought the people after me- and even myself- too dangerous. Plus... I didn't want to be hurt again... not like I was."

Sheena sighed. "That Carlan guy really hurt you, huh?"

Lloyd made no response to her question, but continued. "I thought that having you reject a mask I was wearing was the best way. That way, I would be keeping you away and no one would truly reject who I am... even though... I think I was rejecting myself."

Sheena looked down. "But... keeping us all away from you and living on your own for so long... it must've been so painful."

She looked up at a hand on her head and was surprised to see a smile from Lloyd, one that reminded her fully of how she had known him nearly four years ago. "You've got no reason to feel sorry for me, Sheena. I chose this life."

Sheena smiled weakly, her hope getting the better of her at the smile he had shown. "Do you think there's a way to stop Derris-Kharlan?"

Lloyd gave a firm nod. "Damn right there is," he confirmed. "And it'll be ready tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Sheena cried, her reddish eyes sparkling. "Really? But how? Where are we going to get the power we need to turn Derris-Kharlan around?"

Lloyd chuckled, standing and picking up his dropped Material Blade. "Let's just say the Eternal Sword has more features than we originally thought."

"The Eternal Sword?" Sheena repeated, standing as well. "Cool."

Lloyd sighed and sheathed his sword, his wings finally vanishing after their stretch. "But it's been a long day. Why don't you get some sleep?"

Sheena shrugged. "What about you? You need to sleep too, you know."

Lloyd turned. "I will. I need to talk to Origin a little bit before I sleep, though."

Sheena gave a small bow. "Alright. Goodnight, Lloyd."

Lloyd tossed a 'Night' over his shoulder, and his smile instantly sagged. "Better get started." He headed back to the campfire a little while later, making sure that Sheena would be asleep before he reached them. He looked over the sleeping faces before wandering over to his fair-haired childhood friend, and placing a hand on his shoulder. "Genis..." he breathed. He quickly placed a hand over Genis' mouth as the half-elf's eyes opened and he sent him a rather bleary-eyed and annoyed stare. Lloyd motioned behind him, stood, and headed away from the small dying ashes of the fire.

Genis stayed put for a long moment, not sure weather or not he was in the mood for a talk, but he figured it had some significance considering the time at which he was asking. He stood and headed after him, finding him in a small clearing. "Lloyd? What are you doing? Can't this wait until morning?"

Lloyd pressed a finger to his lips. "Shush... my dad will hear us. He's got angel senses, you know."

"Whatever," Genis groaned. "What do you want?"

Lloyd plopped down onto the ground, placing his elbows on folded knees. "I spoke with Origin tonight. According to him, there's a way to use the Eternal Sword to fashion a type of cannon. It's sort of a mana cannon, but not quite the same."

"Wait... Origin told you this just now? Why? Why put us through all this?"

Lloyd sighed. "Because it's not easy to do, and it would've been best if we could use one of Heaven's mana cannons, but that just two days ago stopped being an option. Why he didn't mention it in the past few days, I don't know, but anyway... The Eternal Sword has an attack that when used correctly, can send a beam with the power of a mana cannon as far out as into space if needed."

"Wait... if there's only one beam, wouldn't that blow it up? Didn't we already agree that it's too close to the Neo World to explode where it is now?"

"According to Kratos, most of the planet's shields are still operational. So if we send a slightly less-powerful beam at it, it should move it quite far away before it breaks through the shields and destroys it. But that would mean holding it for a good hour or so, according to Origin. The power from the beam should interact with the mana on the planet and accelerate its movement away from the Neo World. But like I said... it's not easy. That's why... I need your help."

"Sure. I'll do anything I can."

_To be continued..._

* * *

Bijin: An idea has surfaced! Woot! The screwing over of the characters has stopped! I'll miss it, though. XD Oh... by the way... if you think I'm done with Warren, you're wrong. XD Slight preview of what's to come there... 

**Next Chapter: The Focus of a Soul**


	14. Focus of a Soul

Bijin: Alright... Chapter 14... this story is getting really long. Hope you guys aren't losing interest. XD I've been waiting to post this chapter as it is a pretty significant one. Considering it has the same name as the story. XD Anyway... reviewer responses here...

lloyd-forever: Yeah... feeling screwed is definately a common emotion in this story as I've been screwing them over left and right. You'll have to see how well this idea works out for yourself.

bentlyandtalesofsymphoniafan: That's definately an idea.

Maxmagnus20019: Thanks a lot. Regal is pretty cool. Considering those energy blasts he can fire from his hands kick arse.

Thanks for your reviews guys. I don't have too many, but seeing your comments makes me really look foreward to posting the chapters, so keep it up.

* * *

**Chapter 14: The Focus of a Soul**

"Lloyd's going to do what?" Raine cried as they sat around the revitalized fire the next morning. Sheena smiled brightly.

"Lloyd told me last night that he has a way of stopping Derris-Kharlan," she answered. Lloyd returned moments later, carrying under each arm a few short logs for the fire. He plopped down and gave a yawn, tossing one log onto the fire. "You said it had something to do with the Eternal Sword, right?"

Lloyd completed his yawn, and nodded, picking up a small bowl of rice set aside for him. "Yep. It's a type of mana cannon, but it uses something other than mana as its power source."

Kratos blinked at him. "I didn't know the Eternal Sword could do something like that! I don't think Yggdrasil did either or he would've used it."

Lloyd was quiet for a moment, then paused in eating to say, "According to Origin, you never asked."

Kratos nearly broke his chopsticks. "That's cheap. Though I doubt we would've gained anything by Yggdrasil utilizing that power, huh?" He set aside his half-finished meal and crossed his arms. "So if it doesn't run on Mana, what does it run on?"

Lloyd looked at him for a long time, as if trying to find the right thing to say. Finally, he scratched the back of his head and chuckled nervously. "Origin said something about the side-product of mana usage, but I didn't really get it. The only thing I do understand is that it takes three people to use it. Myself, and two others."

Genis raised his hand slowly. "I've agreed to be the second person."

Lloyd looked to Regal and Kratos. "And Origin suggested either Regal or you, Dad, to be the third person."

"Why one of us?" Regal inquired. Presea broke from her eating to look up.

Lloyd put two fingers to his own temple. "You think I understand everything this guy says? He's the one who told me about it, so I'd trust his judgment."

Kratos held up his hand. "I'll help, I suppose."

Regal leaned foreword. "You don't have to. I could do it, instead."

Kratos shook his head. "Weather or not it was something I could've prevented, I still feel slightly responsible for the reversal of Derris-Kharlan. I would like to be one of the ones who helps stop it."

Regal chuckled, then conceded. Kratos looked back to Lloyd. "When do we start?"

Lloyd stood, setting down his bowl of rice and headed away from the campfire. "We'll start as soon as we can." He stopped and turned slightly to look at Kratos. "But get a good meal... you'll need the energy."

Kratos raised an eyebrow at his son, then looked back to his bowl. "Something seems weird about this."

Colette had long abandoned her attempts at breakfast, and now looked after Lloyd. "I agree. Why would he not have told us sooner?"

Genis didn't even look up as he spoke. "Apparently, Origin didn't tell him until last night."

Kratos looked down to his hands. _Origin never told Yggdrasil and I about this, and now he hasn't told Lloyd about it until just a few days before Derris-Kharlan is to hit? Why not? Something's really messed up about this._

Within an hour, breakfast had been finished, and camp packed up. As Kratos headed to grab some water to put out the last of the campfire, he was distracted and pulled away by Lloyd nearby.

"Dad..." he muttered as he headed past. Lloyd stood, leaning his back against a tree, his cape shading his form. "There's something I need to talk to you about with the cannon."

Kratos turned and placed a hand on his hip. "I'd hoped so. There's something weird about that thing, isn't there? You're not telling us something."

Lloyd sighed. "It's just... it would worry everyone so much, but I've already talked to Genis about it, and I wanted you to know beforehand just to make sure you were okay with this." Kratos gave him a penetrating stare. "The sword... when it activates the cannon, it takes a lot of energy from the surrounding air, but it also takes energy from the people using it. The thing is... it's very painful."

Kratos paused. "I suppose the pain is why Origin didn't tell anyone?"

Lloyd shrugged. "I suppose. But in case you want to back down now... it's painful and it will leave you weak for quite a while. Are you sure you want to do this?"

Kratos chuckled arrogantly. "Don't underestimate your father, Lloyd. I can handle this. I'm more worried about you, though."

Lloyd looked away, blushing. "Dad... don't get parental on me."

"Is that not my job as your father?" Kratos smiled and pointed at him.

"Don't worry about me. I can take it," Lloyd answered, giving him a small thumbs up. Kratos sighed and headed toward the river again, kneeling beside it and watching Lloyd head off on his own to make final preparations for the cannon.

Kratos' smile faded. _Whatever it was that Lloyd was hiding from us... that wasn't it. What the hell's going on?_

* * *

"Now... according to Origin, we will have to hold this for nearly an hour, so get ready, guys." Lloyd commanded his father and Genis, who stood to either side of him. Lloyd pulled the Material Blades from his sheathes and slammed the hilts together. A spark flashed across his fingers, and the two blades were one. He looked to Kratos and Genis, then smiled at the group that had gathered behind them. "Dad, Genis... be careful to regulate your energy. Origin is going to set the sword so it will only take as much power as needed to keep from demolishing the shields for a while, but give it to him in doses. Don't shove your energy all at once." He left them for a moment to approach Colette, and pulled the cape from his shoulders, wrapping it around her small body. "Hang onto this, will you?" He stared at her for a moment. "Wish us luck." 

Colette froze. There was an odd softness in his eyes that frightened her, but he turned away before she could truly decipher it. He headed back to the small mound they had chosen as their firing zone and held the sword above his head, pointing it at the sky, which would herald the coming of Derris-Kharlan. "Ready guys? Grab onto the hilt!"

Genis grunted and placed his right hand over one of Lloyd's. Kratos nodded and placed his left hand atop Lloyd's other hand, ready to feed his energy in. Lloyd turned his concentration inward for a moment.

_Don't forget about Raine, Origin._

_I won't._

_I'll leave that to you then._

_Be careful Lloyd._

_Oh, shut up._

A deep rueful laugh was all that came from Origin afterward. "Origin, now!" The hilt of the sword broke out into light suddenly and the first to scream was none other than Lloyd. His grip on the hilt intensified several times, and his teeth gritted his head turning downward.

"Lloyd!" Colette attempted to rush foreword, but Zelos caught her and held her back, holding her tightly.

"Wait! Trust him!"

Colette looked back at Zelos, then to the three near the sword.

Kratos and Genis looked to Lloyd. "Is something going wrong?" Genis inquired over Lloyd's scream.

Lloyd slowly shook his head. "No... Get ready for your parts!"

From the tip of the sword, a small white ring emerged, growing to about three feet in diameter and soaring about ten meters above where the three stood. Kratos and Genis sweatdropped at it.

"Please tell me that's not it," Kratos muttered. He gasped as something shot through his body like electrocution, heat gathering in where his hand touched Lloyd's. Origin now had Kratos as well as Lloyd.

Genis gagged slightly as he, too, felt his power, his body's mana store, being invaded and slowly it began to drain. He gritted his teeth. Now Origin had all three of them.

The small ring began to spin as it hovered above them, taking a horizontal position and beginning to glow a hot yellowish color. After a moment of deafening silence, an explosion was heard, and from the ring erupted a towering pillar of glowing yellow, shooting directly at the sky and eventually vanishing above the clouds. The group looked up. The sky certainly had taken on a purplish look in the past few days, but after a few moments of the beam being sent, they saw it ripple, like some drop of water had fallen upon its surface, and into the violet, urged on by the ripple, was the yellow of their beam. There was a second explosion, one that shook the very earth they stood on, and slowly, they began to see the planet move.

Colette couldn't help but stare. "That's impossible! How could they possibly move it fast enough for us to see it?!"

Raine's eyes lit up. "Amazing! They're using the energy from the beam to react with the mana surrounding Derris-Kharlan as a shield and using the shield to propel it away." She turned to Regal, Presea, Zelos, Sheena, and Colette. Colette could immediately see her 'teacher-face' going on. "You see, mana is, like all things, made up of millions and trillions of little particles. The thing that makes mana so powerful is that the particles that make it up are explosive when exposed to the right compounds. Apparently... whatever is in that beam is reacting to the mana particles up there and causing millions and trillions of little explosions on the surface of the shield, sending it flying away at an incredible speed!"

Colette chuckled. "Seems this was the perfect way to save this world." She frowned, though. _But still... why did Origin wait this long to tell anyone about it?_

There was an energy that suddenly flowed through the legs of the three men as they held their stances and sent their power upward, solidifying their legs and keeping them standing, but after about twenty minutes, even that extra support was not enough. Lloyd's mind was in a haze, but he did realize the potential disaster if he were to drop the sword while it was firing. His grip tightened once more and he raised his voice beyond his own scream, attempting to block out the pain for a moment.

"Colette!" he shouted. She was instantly behind him, Zelos, Sheena, Regal, Presea, and Raine behind her. "Can you... hold me up?" he requested faintly. He felt the pain subside for a few seconds, knowing that it would start up again when Origin took another dose. He felt two arms wrap across his chest, and his teetering weight came to rest against her.

On either side of him, Raine took up a position behind her brother, wrapping her arms over his free arm and under his occupied one, hugging him slightly as he yelped and cried. Kratos felt Sheena come up from behind and wrap her arms around him, allowing his weight to come and rest against her stance. "We've got you," Sheena muttered to him. Kratos did nothing but continue his strangled groans and screams.

Colette hugged tightly to Lloyd's form, pressing her cheek to his back. "Hang in there, Lloyd." She winced as Lloyd's scream began anew.

There was little movement among the six of them as the three remaining stared up at the sky, watching the purple eventually vanish, but they did not relinquish the beam. It had to be much further than that if they were to detonate it at a safe distance, and so it continued. It was fifteen more minutes before Colette felt her heart skip a beat. Though Lloyd was still supporting a large amount of his own weight, his scream had suddenly cut off. Only two screams, wavering in intensity, now rolled along the hills nearby.

"Lloyd?" she whispered, figuring his angel ears would hear her.

Lloyd didn't respond, nor did he shift position. _Yeah... Colette right behind me... that's perfect then._

With one final cry of pain from the two remaining vocal, there was a surge in power, heading up to break past the shields and hit the internal magitechnology. After the final surge, the power stopped.

The sword hit the ground. Lloyd's weight fell back, relying fully on Colette, who gathered his torso into her arms and sat back, holding him close. "Lloyd?" she whispered again.

Things were oddly silent. Raine held her brother close, feeling his body shiver for a second before going still in deep unconsciousness. Sheena felt Kratos lie back, but his teeth were still gritted, and his throat still let out a grunt or two every few seconds. "Kratos?" she whispered. "Are you alright?"

There was a faint nod, but all attention was yanked upward as a deafening explosion sounded, shooting down a brilliant light from the detonation of Derris-Kharlan's threat. Colette held Lloyd close and smiled. "You did it, Lloyd. You saved us a second time."

Raine froze as she hugged her brother. "Oh my god! He's gone cold!!" She shook him roughly. "Genis! Genis!! Wake up, damnit!"

Kratos opened an eye and glanced over to where Raine held Genis. Her cries cut off suddenly as a booming voice echoed in each of their heads.

_Raine... feed some of your mana into your brother's body. He'll die if you don't._

Raine didn't protest. She cupped his hands in her own and allowed mana to flow from her body into his, revitalizing him. After a moment, his eyes opened, and he glanced around. "I'm... alive...?" He looked up to his sister and gave a weary smile. "I was sure I was going to die."

Raine looked up. "Origin, what is the meaning of this? What happened, and how the hell can we hear you?"

There was a deep chuckle and a sigh. _There are two different times when those other than Lloyd can hear my voice. One, when his emotional spectrum is wild or his mind is panicking. Two, when he is unconscious. As for the meaning of this..._ He went silent.

Kratos growled. "Damn you, Lloyd. You didn't tell us the whole story... Origin! Tell us what that cannon took from each of us, because that sure as hell wasn't my energy I just gave!"

_You're as sharp as ever, Kratos. That beam was no ordinary beam. It was not a mana cannon at all. But there was mana in it. You see... the reason I never told anyone about this until now was because I knew Yggdrasil would not want to use it. It would require too much of him._

"Too much?" Colette inquired anxiously. She looked down to Lloyd and pressed a hand to his face. His body was still warm to the touch, luckily. But his breathing was slow. "Lloyd... wake up."

His eyes shot open. They were unlike his normal eyes, though they were still brown. They had an oddly glazed quality, though. They displayed no emotion. His mouth was a thin line, also displaying no emotion whatsoever. "Lloyd?" she whispered.

_That's as awake as he will get. He told you that what the sword would take would be energy, but as you can guess, he lied. The sword pulled one thing completely from each of their bodies. From Kratos, it was simply his physical strength._

Kratos growled.

_From Genis, it was his ample mana supply._

Raine's eyes narrowed.

Colette looked up. "And from Lloyd...?"

Origin hesitated. _His soul._

There was an awkward silence for a moment before Kratos tried to push himself into a sitting position, only to be caught by Sheena as he fell backward. "What? What the hell is that? I lose my strength, and Genis loses his mana... but Lloyd loses his damn soul? Explain!"

Origin sighed. _This is why Lloyd didn't tell you. You see... the sword required only two things to make up its power. The two things that make a powerful warrior... physical strength and energy of the body, mana. But as Sheena has told you before, just having the mana to fire, doesn't give you a mana cannon. There has to be something to focus the energy and sculpt it into a beam. For the most part, this is done with magitechnology, but there aren't any mana cannons on the Neo World anymore that have the focusing power to shoot a beam as far out as into space._

"So what about Lloyd's soul?!" Colette demanded, feeling hot tears spring to her eyes.

Origin sighed again. _I__ was getting to that. When a soul is channeled through the Eternal sword, it becomes that focusing mechanism needed to create a beam. Lloyd allowed his soul to drain away to become that focus. Not only did it turn the mana and strength into a beam, but because it was a half-angel soul, it multiplied the beam's power by at least three, and it also guided the destination of the beam. No matter where they fired the beam at... because the focusing soul wanted it to hit Derris-Kharlan... Derris-Kharlan is the only thing it would hit._ He paused for a moment. _You may recall seeing a almost invisible white ring that spun above the sword... that was a somewhat visible, yet intangible form of Lloyd's soul, focusing the power being put into it_

Colette put a hand to Lloyd's face as his eyes closed again. "So... he's gone...?"

_Don't be dramatic. If you'll notice, he still breathes, and even will open his eyes and look at you. Plus, I'm still sealed in his body. He's not dead. His body is still alive, but his soul is gone. He cannot move... he cannot think... he cannot even speak. A person's character and personality is housed in the nature of their soul. Now that Lloyd's body lacks a soul, he has no power to do anything that requires the influence of a personality. The way you move... the way you think... and especially the way you speak is influenced by your personality. Lloyd's body now has no such influence._

Colette drew his body tight against her own. "No... Lloyd..." Tears flooded from her eyes, streaked her cheeks, then splashed onto Lloyd's steadily moving chest.

Kratos' hand managed to ball into a fist. "Damnit, Lloyd... I told you not to die before I do!"

They swore they heard Origin scoff. _You fool. I told you he's not dead. His soul was pulled from his body. I never said the focusing job it did would destroy his soul. His soul was pulled out and now floats around, waiting for it to be summoned back to its host._

"How do we get it back in him?" Colette pushed, looking up again.

_That, I can't help you with. I have no idea. Lloyd offered himself willingly to this task, but he didn't think too far into what would happen to him afterward. To him... at least, from what I can tell... this was his way of atoning for what he has done to the Neo World since he became an enemy of the government._

"Atoning...?" Regal repeated.

Kratos growled. "Origin... damnit... I know you better than that. You know all the mystical aspects of this world. Whether you know a lot about them or not isn't the question... but there has got to be some way to save him." Origin was silent for a long time, and Kratos finally called, "Answer!"

Origin growled. _Kratos... Lloyd doesn't want to come back!_ There was a dead silence that followed. _Lloyd saw this as a way to make up for his sins. For his destruction of so many villages, and even as far back as during your first journey. Everything Lloyd has done to make people suffer... he wanted this to be his atonement. I only have sparse knowledge as to how to recover a wayward soul._

Colette looked down at Lloyd, squeezing her eyes shut and pulling him in close again. She was stopped as a large hand reached in and grabbed the back of Lloyd's shirt, pulling him bridal style into his arms. Colette looked up at him. "Zelos... what...?"

Zelos growled and turned, heading back toward the city. "We won't get anything done around here, and it's best if Genis and Kratos rest for now. We can take shelter at the inn in Sybak." Sheena watched him head off, Colette behind him. Regal stooped to pull Kratos over his shoulders and Raine carefully pulled her brother's arm around her neck and stood, following as well.

_To be continued..._

* * *

Bijin: OMGWTFBBQ! Stuff happened! XD Well, there you have it... the reason this story is called Focus of a Soul. But don't think we're done. You honestly think the others are going to just sit on their butts? This chapter completes the first part of this story, and with the next chapter, begin part two! It won't be submitted as a separate story, but this story has two main parts, the first part where the main problem is established and solved, and the second part where the problems erupting from the solution are dealt with. As to how the deal with it and wheather or not Lloyd gets his soul back, you'll have to figure that out for yourself. If this were a game... this would be the part where you switched disks. XD Anyway... I hope you've enjoyed part one and I hope you enjoy part two! Stay tuned! 

**Next Chapter: A Liar**


	15. A Liar

Bijin: Alright! Let part two begin! Hope you guys are enjoying this! Reviewer responses!

Jana-Yggdrasil: A lifeless being? Interesting thought. XD They will go into detail about what exactly is happening with him a bit later.

Alexa Aurion: Yeah... I thought it would be like Lloyd to do this kind of thing.

lloyd-forever: XD I'm glad it gets you excited. Half the time I do wonder if my storyies incite any emotion from the readers. XD

Catwarrior: Planned? Well... the story has been called Focus of a Soul from the beginning... so... yesh. Yesh I did plan this. :evil laughter: Okay I'm done. XD Thanks for reading. And sacrifice another? I can't really answer that question. You'll just have to wait and see.

bentlyandtalesofsymphoniafan: Karma? No kidding, dude. XD

* * *

**Chapter 15: A Liar**

Zelos headed through the doorway following Regal and Raine, who carefully placed the other two patients in the armchairs provided. Colette gasped when Zelos unceremoniously tossed Lloyd's limp form to the mattress of the nearest bed. "Zelos!" Sheena scolded.

Zelos said nothing, simply balled his fists and looked down at Lloyd's still body. Colette dropped to her knees by the bedside. "You're suffering too, aren't you?"

Zelos grunted and when he spoke, his cracking voice lacked the usual carefree lilt that he was known for. "Damnit... He told me... he told me I had a purpose in being born... after we talked in Flanoir those years ago. He told me I had worth. I had worth simply by being his friend." His head drooped, his red hair shading his handsome face. "And then... he goes and throws his life away! Rather than sticking by what he told me then, he gives up his soul like it was nothing!"

Raine sighed. "He probably put a lot of thought into doing this. It was probably the only thing he could think of that would atone for what he has done in his mind."

"There wasn't time!" Zelos shouted. "Damnit, he did this on a whim! He rushed into things without thinking like he always does! Did he or did he not tell us that Origin didn't tell him about the Eternal Sword's power until last night? There wasn't time to think it over. He was being a coward!"

"Zelos..." Sheena muttered, taking a few steps to put a hand on his shoulder. He shrugged it away and vacated the room immediately. Sheena took a step toward the door, but Kratos interrupted.

"Let him go. Zelos just needs some time alone."

Sheena sighed. "It has to be so hard on him," she muttered. "Lloyd was his hope... the one who showed him that he has meaning... He showed all of us that. But to Zelos... who for most of his life thought he had no purpose and was meaningless... that message was exponentially more powerful."

Raine nodded. "Zelos has taken a big blow with this. Even though Lloyd is not dead in the technical term... we don't have any idea how to fix the situation."

Colette remained still, staring at Lloyd's sleeping face. Tears wouldn't stop. Her cheeks were soaked with saltwater, her blue eyes liquid and pleading. They suddenly went wide and she sniffled, chuckling weakly. "Look... I think he's smiling," she muttered. True, the curve of Lloyd's lips was upturned ever so slightly, but it was not enough to warrant celebration on the part of any save for Colette. The blonde took an odd comfort in the faint smile. Almost as if there were some fragment of his soul remaining in his body.

Regal looked toward Kratos and sighed. "Are you alright Kratos? How are you dealing with all this?"

Kratos was silent for a long time, allowing attention to shift fully to him. He finally spoke softly. "I don't really know. I suppose... I half-expected something like this."

"Expected?" Sheena demanded, rounding on her heel to look at him. "Then why didn't you say anything about it, damnit?"

Kratos fixed her with a stern glare. "I wasn't expecting anything this extensive." He looked down again. "When Lloyd told us about the cannon this morning... I knew something was wrong. He was hiding something. But I couldn't figure it out in time. I knew the sword was going to take something from the three of us, and when I felt my strength being pulled away, I already knew I was in for more than Lloyd had warned me about. But there was nothing I could do to stop it. I didn't realize that the difference between the things Genis and I gave and the thing Lloyd gave would be so drastic." He looked to the sleeping half-elf across from him.

Sheena stared at him for a long moment before hustling out the door, leaving the room once again with an awkward pause. Raine sniffed slightly, rubbing at her eyes before assuming her leader role and looked to Regal and Kratos. "Well... what do you suggest we do? Do we pursue the idea that there is some way to bring Lloyd back to his body, or do we simply accept the possibility that he won't come back at all?"

"I'd say both," Kratos muttered. Raine raised an eyebrow at him. "I would like to search for a way to help Lloyd... but even if we do that... we must keep in mind that there is a strong possibility that he will never be himself again."

Presea wandered over to the bed, standing next to Colette and fixing a green gaze on Lloyd's face. Colette lifted herself from her seat for a moment, pulling her bag over and grabbing a small cloth from within, dabbing at her eyes. Presea's eyes went wide at the sight of a small item floating to the floor from Colette's bag. She snatched it up and looked to Lloyd's face again. "Origin... are you there?"

_What do you want?_

Presea held the object before Lloyd's face, as if showing it to him. "Is there any way to help Lloyd by use of this?"

Raine's face lit up. "A Phoenix feather... the symbol of rebirth... it is possible..."

Origin was silent, but Kratos spoke up. "Answer, Origin!!"

_Now that I think about it... yes there is. But it's highly unlikely. How many live Phoenixes have been seen by living humans before?_

"Sightings are... rare..." Raine admitted.

_I rest my case._

"I don't care, Origin!" Kratos snapped. "Tell us how to do it!"

Origin gave a verbal sigh. _Fine... fine._ He paused to gather his wits. _Lloyd's soul is currently floating around as if it were a ghost. It's as if his personality were being suspended in mid-air. In order for it to actually come to the body, you must present something of worth to him._

"Worth?" Regal repeated. "What does that mean?"

_Give the soul something to live for. Give him a reason to come back._

"Like initiative," Kratos concluded.

_Exactly. A wayward soul is neither living nor dead, and the memories attached to it begin to fade after a while. From the moment it separates from the body, its will to return begins to fade. It's as if it were being freed. Though it is not good for a soul to be free in that way, humankind always desires for things it should not have._

"Get to the point," Raine commanded.

_Don't be rude, Miss_ he retorted before continuing. _Anyway... the initiative is not enough on its own. A soul exists on a plane not of this world. It's like a ghost. They don't exist in the same... dimension... if you will, as humans do. His soul is intangible... invisible... inaudible to you all. The only thing that could find the soul and take you to the place where the soul is... is a Phoenix. And not some dumb feather... but the living thing._

"And the Phoenix will be able to put his soul back?" Colette guessed hopefully.

_Once the initiative is given, yes. The Pheonix isn't the symbol of rebirth for nothing. The Pheonix will be able to pull the soul into our realm and use the initiative as a tool. The soul will gain some of its free will back and that will will be the medium for transportation._

* * *

"Damn you, Lloyd... damn you," Zelos growled, sending a small stone skipping across the surface of the ocean. "Of all the things you could've... damn..." 

"You kind of have to wonder what goes through someone's head... when they make a decision like that..."

Zelos turned, eyeing Sheena for a moment before looking back at the water. He picked up another stone and tossed it. "Nothing... that's the answer when it comes to Lloyd. He's so damn impulsive."

"Maybe..." Sheena didn't make any moves for a long while and even kept quiet. She remained silent, giving Zelos the idea that she knew he had something he wanted to speak on... and she was giving him the opportunity to do so.

Zelos sighed. He chuckled weakly and spoke. "It's interesting... my sister is like my mom was in so many ways." Sheena cocked her head, but kept quiet. "She says a lot of the same things, and acts the same way sometimes. I mean... I don't remember my mom in too much detail, but when I think of Seles... I think... that must be how my mom was." He paused. "But... I think the thing that ties them together stronger than anything else is the fact that I was nothing more than an obstacle in their path. I mean... after all, I got my mom killed." He picked up another rock and skipped it. "Both of them... through out all of my life and all of Seles'... always told me that I shouldn't have been born. It's obvious that I was an unwanted child, born of two people who had no interest in each other or me." He shrugged. "And to be honest... they were completely right about that. I should never have been born. That's straight and simple fact. There's no self-esteem issue tied to it... and even being the Chosen or not is irrelevant. I should never have been born..."

Sheena sighed, looking down.

"But..."

She looked up again as he continued.

"One person's trash is another person's treasure, huh? Even trash can have worth if cleaned up and given the right meaning... that's what Lloyd did for me. He found me... picked me out of the trash and gave me a purpose. He gave me worth. And he didn't give me worth that was dependant on someone else's opinion of me. He gave me meaning... told me that everyone has the right to life... that there is a significance in being born... even if it is an accident or mistake. So... it's odd... for a brief few years... he made me believe that... even though I shouldn't have been born... I still had value... I still had the right to live."

"You speak of it as if it is in the past, Zelos," Sheena whispered.

"It is," he growled. "Was he lying to me...? Was he just saying those things to keep his guilt-load lighter? Just telling me that because he wanted my help against Mithos? Wanted to use my abilities in that fight?"

"Zelos, you know he didn't."

"Then why?" Zelos shouted. Sheena took a step back. "Why did he throw his life away like that...? So easily! Offered his own life in some supposed atonement? We already know that the death of someone can't make up for what one has done! People act as if death is the penalty for killing but where does it really get you? It gets you two dead people! What is the point of offering his own life when it won't serve to undo any of what he has done? It didn't do anyone any good!" He quieted. "Lloyd... you liar... were you really just saying those things...? Just to make you feel good about yourself...? If you throw away your life right after saying those things, what reason do I have to believe I have any worth?!" He tilted his head upward, yelling to the sky. "I know you're out there, Lloyd, so give me a reason! What point does my life have if it has no significance? What worth do I have if all you told me was a lie?"

He froze.

Two arms had wrapped around his chest, a pressure felt against his back. He looked to the ocean again.

"You have worth, Zelos... just simply being alive... you have worth to us," Sheena muttered. "Because you're Zelos."

He looked down. "But Lloyd... he... he told me... he made me believe..." he trailed off, his mind spinning.

Sheena sighed. "Lloyd saw no other option. He felt the lives of everyone on the Neo World outweighed his own. I think this decision was made just as much out of atonement as it was out of the fact that there was no other way. He wanted to save everyone... he wanted to protect the lives he cherished most... and he was willing to go to any lengths to achieve that."

"That certainly gives him a noble cause to justify that kind of decision, but what's left for those around him? What about Kratos? Kratos needs Lloyd. They're the only two of their kind left. And what about Colette? She depends so much on him. Even if she's not with him, she still depends on him. And... What about me? How can I believe what he said, if he doesn't exercise the same love for life that he taught me? What reason do I have to believe what he told me in Flanoir? What reason do I have to believe that I have value?"

Sheena held tighter to his form. "You have me... at the very least... and you have the others. All of us know your worth simply by the things you've done in the past... even though you turned on us... you did the hard and dangerous thing coming to save us when we were all about to die. We owe you our lives. And it's not just that we are grateful for the things you've done, but you have value simply because you are irreplaceable to us. You're a part of us... a part no one else can fill. You are invaluable to us, Zelos... simply because you're you."

He sighed, and couldn't keep a small smile from forming on his lips. His voice was still solemn. "But... what about Kratos and Colette...? And even Genis... they all need Lloyd so much."

"I agree... meaning we can't fail in bringing Lloyd back to his body. We need to do it quickly, too. If we fail... we let those three at the very least down. And if we fail... we all will have let you down, Zelos."

Zelos chuckled. "Hell... I'll bring him back just so I can yell at him." He pulled away and turned to face her. "Sorry... I know this isn't like me. I'm... supposed to be perky or... something."

Sheena shook her head. "Kinda hard to be perky in a situation like this."

He sighed. "Perhaps. But... thanks."

Sheena smiled and grabbed his hand. "Come on! We should get back and get to work on finding a way to save Lloyd!" Zelos' eyes went slightly wide at the sudden change of mood, but decided it was a good change. He allowed himself to be lead back into the room where the group was conversing quietly. They looked up when the two returned.

Raine looked up and smiled at Zelos. "Seems you are feeling better."

Zelos gave an arrogant smirk. "Sure. Nothing a few skipped stones can't handle. So... any clues on what to do about Angel-boy's predicament?"

"Well, Origin has a method, but it requires a living Phoenix," Regal stated.

"A living one? It can put Lloyd back to the way he was?" Sheena requested anxiously.

"To put it simply, yes," Raine nodded.

"But our problem is the same as before. It's next to impossible to find a Phoenix," Genis muttered tiredly. His sister set herself to coaxing him back to sleep for the time being.

"Ah, but the solution is the same as before as well." Zelos held up a finger and set himself onto the bed, leaning his elbows on his knees. He looked to Lloyd's still form. "Hey, Origin... how long can Lloyd's body live without a soul?"

There was an odd silence that followed, but eventually, Origin spoke. _Well... my guess is... he can live as long as any human can live, as long as he is given nourishment while he is like this. His body is still functioning normally, as you can see. He's just... sleeping most of the time._

"Meaning, we're not in any time constraint," Zelos added. "We have time to order a rush-job mana tracker. It'll be done within a week and we can gather information on it until then. After that, it shouldn't take more than a few days to track a Phoenix down."

Raine raised an eyebrow. "If it's that simple, then why hasn't anyone else ever tracked down a Phoenix like this?"

"Who says they haven't?" Zelos inquired flatly. "It just says that they haven't been able to catch one. But hey... we certainly can't catch one if we don't try, right?"

She shrugged and looked to Kratos. "What do you think?"

Kratos nodded. "It certainly can't hurt to try. The only thing I'm worried about is what we do during that week while we wait for the device to be made. We looked all in the Meltokio Royal Family archives as well as in the Sybak institute. Where can we even start looking?"

Presea spoke up. "Well, now that we have time, we could start by looking around the area near the Sylvarant _Heaven_ headquarters and see if anyone else saw the Phoenix. That would at least be a start, and if that doesn't work, we can simply look around places like the Ossa Trail and the Fooji Mountain range since they are difficult to access by foot."

Raine nodded. "Zelos... do you know of anyone in the government's employ that is studying Phoenixes?"

Zelos put a hand to his forehead. "Not really... my jurisdiction is mainly centered around Magitechnology and advisory to the King. I don't know too much about mythical creatures or research being conducted about living creatures." He brightened. "Although... I'm pretty sure that the Elemental Research lab is doing something on creatures like that. The only project they've done on mythical creatures that I know of is something about a behemoth of the sea, but I would be surprised if they hadn't done research on Phoenixes too. Or at least had at one time even if they don't have any active research going on them."

"So we can head back to Meltokio if we don't find anything in the villages near the area we spotted it," Raine confirmed.

"It's highly likely we won't be able to find anything of any merit in the villages. The most information they could have would be a general direction. But it certainly can't hurt to try," Kratos muttered, his eyes trailing to Lloyd's empty form. _You've certainly dealt a blow to all of us, Lloyd... I hope things turn out well. If they don't... I'm afraid your memory won't be that of a hero... but perhaps of a coward._

_To be continued..._

_

* * *

_Bijin: Hah! A plan! but how will it pan out? Okay... I'm not going into the cheesy announcer-type lines anymore than that lest I soil my poor voice. Anyway... stay tuned for chapter 16! 

**Next Chapter: In Pursuit of Happiness**


	16. In Pursuit of Happiness

Bijin: Whoa... I know this wasn't written as a filler chapter... but it sure as hell looks like one. XD It's somewhat smaller than previous ones and such. But anyway... Heeeeeeee!

Jana-Yggdrasil: No kidding. That was something that I wanted to come across strongly. The price of doing the right thing is often heavy and leaves no one satisfied in the end. That's the basic truth sometimes.

Catwarrior: XD In Pursuit of Happiness? Well... the pursuit part has a double meaning, and the happiness thing? I think that is one of those things where no one can actually point out a place in the story where it refers directly to it, but it fits somehow. XD At least... I thought it did.

lloyd-forever: It was kinda funny, actually... when I first planned out this story, I wanted the evolution of Lloyd's character to take a drastic turn or for him to do something that really impacted everyone, and when this came to mind, I knew that only the most dire of circumstances would make Lloyd do this. So... in order to screw them over in this aspect, I have to screw them over many times earlier. XD

bentlyandtalesofsymphoniafan: Well, they're gonna have to present something for him to live for at some point. XD

* * *

**Chapter 16: In Pursuit of Happiness**

"If Lloyd is still alive, and Origin is inside him, why in the hell can't Origin make him walk on his own?" Zelos demanded of the air as he shrugged Lloyd's limp body higher onto his back.

_I can't move his body. I can just speak through him when he's asleep like this._

"Lazy ass..." Zelos grumbled. He looked to the other redhead. "When you can walk again, you are so carrying your own son, Papi."

Kratos rolled his eyes from Regal's back. "I know... I know... I plan on it. I keep thinking you're going to drop him. I hate having you carry him."

Zelos growled. "Who do you think I am? I can handle this light-weight on my own!" He stood straighter, tipping Lloyd's weight off his shoulders and sending him backwards slightly, only to be caught against a pale pair of hands.

"Zelos! Are you trying to drop him, or what?" Colette demanded, pushing him back onto Zelos. "Be careful."

Zelos shrugged him back on and sighed. "Are we there yet...? And shut up, Papi." He growled as Kratos chuckled quietly.

Raine sighed. "Yes, we're here. Jeezu... all we did was walk from where we parked the rheairds." She looked upward. "Is this where you saw the Phoenix fly by, Presea?"

The pink-haired girl nodded. "Yeah. It was around here." She looked up. "As far as I could tell, it was heading east."

"Well... like we said, that gives us only a direction. All of the Tethe'alla region is technically east of here." Kratos shook his head. "Are there any villages nearby besides Palmacoasta?"

Raine nodded, shifting her brother's weight on her back. The younger half-elf was sound asleep at this point, however. "Yeah. Genis and I actually founded two villages simultaneously here. There's one over where the human ranch used to be and another just south of here."

"Can we go to the closest one?" Zelos groaned, shifting Lloyd's weight again. "It wouldn't be so bad if he was just unconscious, but I'm pissed at him too, you know? I'm sick of carrying him."

Raine rolled her eyes and nodded. "The one just south of here is called Sunetra. This way." She pointed in the correct direction and headed that way, waving her arm toward the small area that appeared. It was a quaint little village, obviously flourishing from its close proximity to Palmacoasta and reaping benefits from its popularity. As they entered, a small commotion erupted near the gate.

"Professor Raine!" a young boy shouted, dashing over to hug her legs. She felt herself wobble slightly, but smiled down at him.

"Hello, Aaron," she chuckled. "Where's your dad? I need to speak with him."

"Daddy's over there," Aaron answered, pointing at a large burly man off to the side, having some less-than pleasant conversation with a few men dragging wagons behind them. "The traders that came into town yesterday are asking too much money... or something like that. It's making Daddy yell, whatever it is."

Raine nodded and glanced over to him, then glanced back to Regal and Kratos. "Kratos... be careful... this village isn't very friendly toward angels."

Kratos chuckled. "I don't know if I have the strength to pull my wings out right now."

"Consider that fortunate," Raine muttered seriously. She quickly approached the burly man as the traders made their retreat and gave a small introductory bow. "Good to see you again, Spiro."

"Professor Raine! How have you been?" he cried, pulling her into a gentle hug. He looked down at the sleeping Genis. "Genis seems to be taking it easy," he laughed.

Raine chuckled nervously. "Yes... um... is it possible that we could rest here for a while? A few of my party are injured. Not to mention we're trying to track something down."

Spiro shrugged. "Do you honestly think we would have the audacity to turn away Professor Raine and Genis?" He chuckled and pointed off to the left. "You can head over to the inn if you want. Just tell them I sent you and ask them for as many rooms as you need." He leaned over. "People in Palmacoasta are having a bit of economy trouble lately. With all the angel attacks dragging cities into them, Palmacoasta and Sybak have been taking in a lot of refugees."

Raine sighed, glancing for a split second back to Zelos, who adjusted Lloyd's weight and moved to stand behind Regal. She looked back to Spiro. "I imagine that the economy there must be suffering a little from all the extra people, huh?"

Spiro nodded. "Yeah... and since we buy goods from Palmacoasta, we're the ones feeling the squeeze from all those damn angel attacks. I wish they would catch that Irving boy already."

Raine chuckled and sighed. "Well, anyway... I hope things work out for you. I need to get Genis to bed already." She nodded to him and headed away, making for the nearby Inn and glancing behind her.

"Things have progressed a bit oddly."

Raine turned her head to look at her brother. "Morning, sleepy-head," she giggled.

"Hey come on... I had all my mana sucked out." He looked behind them at Zelos and Lloyd's limp form behind him. "Luckily people around here don't recognize his face. He probably didn't spend too much time around here. Considering we didn't use any exspheres to build this village, there probably wasn't anything nearby that interested him."

Raine nodded. "Yeah... that's fortunate, but it's still worrisome if someone finds out about Kratos."

"Kratos can handle himself. He's more level-headed than Lloyd," Genis assured her.

The group made it to the inn shortly, and Raine glanced at the group before speaking to the receptionist.

"Three per room? I suppose we'll need... four rooms." The receptionist nodded and Sheena could suddenly feel Zelos' gaze on her back. She scoffed and grabbed the key offered to Raine before marching up the nearby stairs.

"No, pervert... you can't room with me," she announced, vanishing up the steps.

Raine raised an eyebrow at the ninja, her open hand still offered to the receptionist. The receptionist smiled kindly and dropped three more keys into her hand.

"I wasn't gonna ask... you know..." Zelos called belatedly.

"Yeah right!" Sheena called back.

Raine sighed and turned around. "I suppose I'll room with Sheena." She handed a key to Colette. "Why don't you and Presea take this key?" Colette nodded. Raine then stuffed a key into Kratos' shivering hand. "And you, Lloyd, and Zelos can stay in this one." She pressed the last one into Genis' hand as she let him gently onto his feet. "You stay with Regal, alright?" Genis nodded. Raine looked to Regal and Kratos as Zelos headed up the stairs. "I know the sleeping arrangements may seem a bit strange, but... I would prefer if Zelos stayed with Kratos for a little bit. He seems pretty worked up, and I have a feeling you might be able to help him come to terms with what has happened." She looked down. "Not to mention... you probably want to be near your son right now."

Kratos shrugged. "It doesn't really matter either way to me. After all... what Zelos is carrying can hardly be defined as my son. My son is what is floating around, waiting for us to find him. That body is simply his vessel. Even if I am nearby him... it isn't the same as being with Lloyd."

Raine nodded. "Yeah... maybe you and Zelos can come to terms with something." She headed up the stairs.

Regal turned his head slightly. "You don't always have to be that brave, you know, Kratos. You could show a little bit of emotion," he muttered, heading up the stairs as well.

Kratos gave a quiet chuckle. "Brave? Heh... perhaps what I'm being is quite the opposite. But either way... there's no reason to enhance the grief of others around me."

Regal smirked faintly. _He's taking this harder than most of us... but he hides it so well..._

_Kratos rolled his eyes from Regal's back. "I know... I know... I plan on it. I keep thinking you're going to drop him. I hate having you carry him."_

He took one hand from Kratos' leg and rapped quietly on the second door on the right, a redhead answering it in a moment. Zelos sighed at the sight of Regal, obviously stopping by to drop the angel off. "Damn... why do I always end up carrying you people?"

Regal sighed and turned, letting Kratos onto his feet, which immediately failed him. Zelos caught him under the arms and quickly dragged him into the room, sitting him down on a bed. "Can you at least sit up by yourself?"

Kratos waved his hand feebly. "I can for a little while. And once I get too tired, I can just lay down."

Zelos sighed and headed back to adjust Lloyd's position against the wall. "Think I should call for another bed to be brought up? There are only two beds per room, but a third can be brought up if needed."

Kratos shrugged. "Doesn't really matter. Lloyd can probably stay like that. He's not going to complain."

Zelos stood, glancing to Kratos' back, then heading over to the large window that occupied the opposite wall, staring for a few moments at the bright, but overshadowed sky. He glanced to Lloyd. The half-angel was set on the floor, propped up against the wall, his chin resting on his chest, and his hands lying limply on the floor. His cape shadowed most of his body, but his long legs stuck out onto the floor. He looked merely asleep, and Zelos supposed, he was in every technical meaning of the word. But to Zelos... he seemed... dead. His eyes would open, sure... but would he look at you with any emotion? Would he speak... or even think? If that was not death, Zelos didn't know what was. He shook his head and growled out the window, glaring at the rain that had begun to fall. He jumped slightly at a knock that came to the door.

Colette, Raine, Presea, and Sheena stood in the doorway, letting themselves in immediately. Raine set herself next to Kratos, and Colette headed over to sit by Lloyd. Sheena merely leaned against the counter of the small kitchen provided and looked to Raine. "So... what do we do now?"

"Well... the mana tracker is in production right now, correct?" she looked to Zelos, who nodded.

"Yeah... I put in the order before we left Sybak. So including today, we have seven days to get as much information as we can."

"Sounds about right. We can ask around the village and see if anyone saw the Phoenix here, but if not, we'll head over to Meltokio tomorrow."

"Why tomorrow? Why can't we leave later today?" Colette inquired. "It would probably be best if we hurried."

Raine shrugged. "Yes, but no matter how fast we get to Meltokio, it is still going to be a week before we can get hold of that mana tracker. So we have seven days to burn getting information. Not to mention that Kratos is unable to walk, and Genis needs to get another night of sleep before he can be trusted to walk on his own as well. We just need to take it easy for their sakes right now." Colette looked back to Lloyd. Raine smiled. 'Don't worry... Lloyd will be all right for the time being. All we need to do is give him some water every once in a while."

"How do we do that?" Colette inquired.

Kratos spoke now. "Even though he is without a soul, his body is functioning. If we pour water into his mouth, muscle memory in his throat will make him swallow it. Something like that doesn't require the influence of a personality." He paused. "There are several things he will probably do that are simply muscle memory. I doubt we'll be able to feed him, since chewing isn't quite the same as simply swallowing, so we'll need to find some other way for him to get nutrients. But for now, water will keep him alive and functioning."

"So who all is going out to look for information?" Colette inquired.

Raine stood. "Everyone who is capable, really. I'd like to leave Regal here to look after Genis, Kratos and Lloyd, so the rest of us can head out to look for information."

"Sounds good to me, but none of us have any idea how to navigate this place, your Highness." Zelos waved his hand.

"We can get maps from downstairs and split up to look," Presea suggested.

"Yeah... should we go in groups or... what?" Sheena inquired.

"Nah... I think we should just pick a time to meet up and go off on our own. We'll cover more ground like that." Raine stood from her place. "I'll go get Genis and Regal to come in here. That way, Regal can stay in one place while he keeps an eye on things." She vacated the room and an odd silence came over the area. Colette simply seemed content to sit at Lloyd's side, staring at the floor, as if trying to decipher something.

Zelos spoke. "So... you guys think we have a chance...?" There was no response. "I mean... at finding this thing. It seems a bit... unlikely if you ask me."

Sheena sighed. "I honestly have no idea. I mean... people have tried for years to find Phoenixes and the most they've ever gotten was a quick glimpse of it. I don't know what we have that other people don't that will allow us to find one. But truly... I hope we have something... I really want to set things right."

Kratos nodded, allowing his body to fall to the side, resting his tired muscles on the bed. "I agree. We may not have anything that other people have, but that can't stop us. Recovering a wayward soul is tough, as Origin has said. Meaning if we give up just simply because the task is daunting, there's no way we'll actually be able to do it."

"Determination is something we need... at the very least," Presea whispered.

"Right..." Zelos muttered. He straightened as Raine re-entered, Regal carrying Genis right behind her. The groups exchanged, Regal setting Genis down on the open bed and taking a seat for himself on the floor near the door. There was a long pause as no one said anything, but when Regal looked up again, Genis had made his way from the bedside and to where Lloyd was.

"Genis?" Regal whispered.

Genis' shoulders hunched and shook a few times, but what Regal mistook for sobbing actually came out as laughter. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing... it's just..." He paused, and Kratos rolled over onto his back to look at where Genis knelt. "It's funny... Lloyd and I always had everything in common... you know... stories... hobbies... and even our favorite foods. Our hero was always Mithos the hero... the one spoken of in legends. Not the one we met, but the one that lived in our minds as a valiant hero... the kind that saved the world while rescuing damsels in distress along the way." He chuckled weakly. "It's odd... even as we went on the Regeneration journey... I never thought of myself as a hero. Hell, I couldn't think of Lloyd as a hero either. After all... we had grown up reading and hearing of such escapades... I couldn't possibly wrap my head around the idea of one of us being a hero." He brushed aside a few locks of Lloyd's hair. "I remember... I would always get excited when Raine would recount the tale of Mithos and would get to the part when Mithos was struggling against the Summon Spirits Aska and Luna. He nearly died in that battle, and that always worried me, but I knew that in the end it would be alright." He stopped for a long time and Regal briefly wondered if he would continue. "How is it... that my best friend... the person I grew up with... hearing stories of danger and adventure... suddenly is fighting for his life like Mithos did? How can I possibly wrap my head around all this...?"

Regal sighed. He wasn't sure what he could say on the matter. Genis now saw a side of his friend he had never seen before and perhaps never expected from him. Genis coughed slightly.

"I think back... and look at Lloyd and I when we were younger and I just can't relate the two Lloyds. That Lloyd and the one sitting limply in front of me now... like a dead man." His fists clenched tightly about his knees. "I look back and... For no reason at all... I think... when I was growing up... did I have any idea or even dream that I was growing up with a man like this? Did I have any idea that Lloyd would become the kind of person that thinks his life so meaningless that they throw it away if the need arises?"

"People can't predict the future, Genis," Kratos muttered. "The changes in people can only be predicted to a certain extent. Human hearts are fickle... as are the hearts of elves, half-elves, and angels. That's what makes us us. Our hearts are so unpredictable. And because of that unpredictability... there's no way to look into a person's future and see a clear image." He looked to the ceiling again. "Even an angel on wings flying in one direction... no matter how strong... is affected by the wind. There could be no wind, or there could be a tornado. But people can no more read the future than they can read the wind patterns." He looked to Genis again.

Genis sighed. "Still... sometimes I wonder... if Lloyd got blown off-course and another angel took up his flight." He began making his way toward the bed again.

Regal looked down. "One of the main problems with this flight of his... is that he was towing a lot of people behind him... and once his course has changed... all of us get staggered. Now without him... we're a little lost."

Genis looked to Regal as he reseated himself. "Did we put too much faith in Lloyd?"

Regal shrugged. "Dunno. Perhaps it was the fact that we depended on him to discover a solution to the problem... and in the end... this was the only one he found. Perhaps it was less a matter of trust, and more a matter of dependency. We depended on him to fix things like he did last time. And... Sadly... he did."

Kratos sighed. "But this conversation is getting us nowhere." Regal looked up. "Debating whose fault this is is pointless. The fault lies with no one... not even Lloyd. The world needed to be rescued, and Lloyd answered that need by doing what he had to. It is painful for us... yes. But he still did what he had to. Therefore, there is no fault to be handed out."

* * *

It was dark before the others filtered back, Raine returning first. "I talked to most everyone I saw. There were a few people who claimed they saw it, but a few of them were obviously lying, saying it was heading west... or something like that. I'd trust Presea over them." She plopped down next to Kratos' waking form. "But like Kratos said, I didn't get any information beyond a direction." 

Zelos was the second to come back. "Damn... these people really hate angels. At least... the adults do. The kids seem just fine with them, but the adults are so pissed off about the economy problems and they've blamed it on a certain angel causing damages." He shrugged. "Nothing on the Phoenix, though. Just a few kids talking about birds."

Presea and Sheena came in soon after. "Nothing. People around here may have seen the Phoenix, but no one had any directions beyond saying which way it was going. Some of them even conflicted with what Presea and Regal said." Sheena sighed and Presea nodded at her comments.

"So unless Colette found something, we're headed for Meltokio since we all ended up returning with the same story, basically?" Zelos muttered.

Raine nodded. "Yeah. That would probably be best. We'll spend the night here, giving Kratos and Genis a night to rest and head over there in the morning."

"Hey... by the way... speaking of Colette, where is she?" Regal inquired glancing around. "Wasn't she supposed to meet us here at the same time as you guys?"

Raine looked toward the door. "Yeah, actually." She opened it and peeked outside. "Maybe she got held up."

"By what? She doesn't know anyone around here." Zelos quirked an eyebrow.

An explosion rocked the very floor the stood on tossing everyone roughly onto the floor, though Kratos and Genis managed to remain on the beds. Brilliant light pierced the window and sent shards of glass across the room. Zelos held his arms over his head. "What the hell was that?" he demanded as a siren began wailing nearby. "That explosion couldn't have been more than a few blocks away!"

"Is everyone alright?" Raine called over the wail.

There was a general ascent across the room. Sheena stood and headed to the beds. "Kratos and Genis have passed out, but that's probably expected in their condition." She headed over and knelt next to Lloyd's still form. Red liquid dribbled down his face originating from several small cuts across his cheekbone and forehead. His dead eyes were wide open.

"How's Lloyd?" Presea inquired.

"He's fine. Just some nicks and stuff from the glass. It was enough to wake him, but that's about it. Face wounds bleed a lot," Sheena answered. She sat back, her own eyes going wide as Lloyd lifted his head slightly, and turned ever so slowly to look out the window. Sheena followed his gaze for a moment before Lloyd's eyes closed and his head dropped again. Sheena stood. "Guys... something tells me Colette has something to do with that. Let's go!"

Zelos worked himself to his feet as Sheena dashed past him. "Well, duh... considering our group's luck with this crap. I'll bet money Colette's near that explosion." He took off after her as Raine, Presea, and Regal stood as well. Raine put a hand to Regal's chest.

"Could you wait here...?" she requested.

Regal's eyes narrowed. "But..."

"Please... if whatever caused that explosion comes this way... I'm worried about these three. Your hands are more capable of protecting than anyone I've ever seen or heard of. I know you'll keep them safe."

Regal sighed and nodded, heading back to the window to look down at the street as Raine headed out. _Be careful, guys..._

_To be continued..._

_

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_Bijin: Oooh... spooky... kind of a cliff-hanger here. Sorry for the short chapter, but there isn't a very good stopping point after this that wouldn't make the chapter stoopidly uber-long. So... yeah... I had to stop it here for today. 

**Next Chapter: Protecting a Monster**


	17. Protecting a Monster

Bijin: Sorry about the late post, people. XD There was a thunderstorm last night and it cut our internet out all day today. We just got it back and I am happeh! XD Anyway... yeah... dude... I can't believe I'm on chapter 17 already! Sheesh! I honestly don't know how many chapters there will be. I write a chapter a day, but I have the whole thing plotted out on paper and stuff. but because it's only a list of details and events, its has little baring on how long the chapters will be. XD Anyway... review responses!

Jana-Yggdrasil: Heh... like I said, I dunno really how long the story will end up being. I know how it ends and everything, but I dunno how long its going to take to get there.

Catwarrior: Hope so. XD

lloyd-forever: Yeah. But I supposed that their grief over what happened would blind them mostly to that fact. XD

bentlyandtalesofsymphoniafan: I used big words? Where where? XD

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**Chapter 17: Protecting a Monster**

"Like I said, it couldn't have been more than a few blocks away," Zelos called, pushing his way past a flood of people attempting to flee the area.

Raine looked up, her eyes narrowing at the flashes of light that erupted from the sky. "Colette's there, alright!" she called. "That's her Judgment attack!"

People lashed against their bodies, but eventually they came to a clearing, slowing to a halt as the rest of the civilians filtered away. Zelos drew Excalibur, pointing it at the largest of the three men surrounding Colette. "Warren!" he shouted.

Indeed, it was the deadly trio of Warren's angel hunters, all three of them looking at the name. He chuckled. "So all of you are here. Saves me the time of hunting you down as well." He turned fully to Zelos. "You seem to be missing a good amount of people... where are your two angel friends?"

"Like we're gonna tell you!" Raine growled, pointing her staff at them. "Where's Colette?"

"I'm here," Colette muttered. She was in the crook of a small indentation against a large building. The dent, Raine feared, had been made with the blonde girl's body. A weak smile was on her face nonetheless, and she worked herself onto her feet. The street itself was not all that damaged. Raine suspected that they were mostly using gadgets to fight. That and Colette's magic. There were dents in the buildings nearby and the entire area was consumed with the smell of mana. Raine narrowed her eyes at Warren and his two companions.

"Get back, now!" she commanded.

"How about you tell us where your friends are, and we will?" the braided one challenged.

"How about not?" Sheena shot back.

"Seems that our little trial here with the blonde girl is done, guys. Shall we deal with these guys now?" Warren inquired, turning to face them. The others nodded and took up positions on either side of him, as usual. Zelos gasped as the braided one was immediately in front of him, a knee planted in his stomach. Zelos was sent reeling back, landing on his butt a few feet away.

"Hey!" Warren called, a chuckle in his voice. "Must you be so enthusiastic, Farith?" The one addressed stood again and before the others could blink, he was back at Warren's side. "I would like to fight the red-head myself... after all... he was once part angel, wasn't he? The infamous chosen..." He looked to the braided one. "Farith... why don't you take on the girls, huh? And Letto...?" The short one smirked. "Take care of the white-haired woman. The red-head is mine." Warren dashed foreword, his large arms swinging down at Zelos, his fists clashing roughly against the broad side of Zelos' sword. Zelos grunted as he was pushed back, his shoulders hitting the ground behind him. He coughed, being caught between the cement below him and Warren's crushing weight. "I don't really need to draw my sword for you... do I?"

"Hell yeah, you do, you bastard!" Zelos shouted, his Cruxis Crystal glowing brilliantly and allowing a surge of mana to escape his body. Warren was tipped gently onto his feet as Zelos stood, holding Excalibur aloft. "Come on... we're not letting you touch Lloyd or Kratos."

"We'll have to see about that..." Warren challenged, drawing his sword as well. He smirked. "Come to think of it, you've only seen my sword yet, haven't you? Meet Samurai Heart. I've had this sword since I began angel hunting a few years ago, and it has never lost to anyone... angel or not."

"There's a first time for everything," Zelos growled. He then sighed. "What am I saying? That is so cliché... what could I say instead...? How about... my sword in your face!" Zelos dashed foreword, sword charged with mana, but stopped as a striking pain suddenly shot through his gut, and he crumpled to his knees. Warren's foot contacted his temple a moment later, and Zelos was flipped back onto his butt.

Warren bent down. "More original, but not very accurate."

Zelos got to his feet again, wiping blood from his mouth, then putting a hand to his stomach. "What the hell was that? I... I didn't even see anything..."

Warren smiled. "Oh that? That's just Farith. He's a bit... speedy. He should be done with those girls soon." Zelos whipped his head around to see the braided one standing mere inches in front of Sheena and Presea. The two of them took a step back, Presea holding up her axe, and Sheena crossing cards in front of her. Zelos saw Farith's arm twitch slightly, and Sheena was suddenly on the ground, grasping her middle. He turned to Presea, who hid rather effectively behind her axe. For the split second he was in front of her, that is. He was behind her in an instant, slamming a hand into the back of her neck, and laying her flat.

"Sheena!!" Zelos shouted, beginning to turn. Something large and solid landed in his chest, and he was on his butt again.

"Eyes foreword, Mr. Right-Hand Man!" the large man cried. Zelos got to his feet again, glaring daggers at him. _Damn... he's big and even though he's not as fast as that Farith guy, he's still pretty quick. Not to mention I keep getting distracted! I've got to do something, or we'll lose! If we lose... he could find Lloyd and Kratos... Damnit!_ Warren took a few steps toward him.

"What's the use of drawing my sword? I don't even need it to take you down!" he laughed.

Zelos growled, holding his sword in front of his body, aiming the tip between Warren's eyes, but not charging. Charging head-on was Lloyd's department... and meant for those who have little experience. _And now that Farith bastard has taken Sheena and Presea out!_ He looked to the side, glancing at the battle between Raine and Letto. Raine tossed a small fire spell at him, to which Letto merely held out his hand, the ball dissolving and being immediately shot back toward her. She fell back, but put her hand to the ground, charging it with enough mana that when she pressed the end of her staff to it, the ground erupted beneath him, trapping him in place, and she turned wearily to Zelos. Zelos looked back to Warren, his eyes narrowed dangerously.

Warren shrugged. "What's with that look?" His face went serious. "No matter how you look at it, I'm doing the right thing. I don't appreciate eyes like that." Zelos continued his glare. Warren sighed, his face still lacking its usual taunting friendliness. "Angels are the scum of the Neo World. They show up out of nowhere, and suddenly decide to mess things up. That Yggdrasil bastard even tried killing us all. They hate us, Zelos... I have to say that I hate the part of you that was once angel, but you could be saved along with the rest of this world if you just tell us where the last angels are."

"They hate us?" Zelos raised an eyebrow. "Isn't it the other way around?"

"Oh... I don't think so... Do Lloyd's eyes not shine with hatred for other races?" Warren challenged. Zelos went silent. "They are too different from us. They are too strong... having vast amounts of mana at their fingertips... how can we trust them?"

"The same way we trust elves and half-elves, Warren! Angels are the same as any other race!"

"They are not!" Warren shouted. He looked down. "It wasn't elves or half-elves that destroyed my home! It wasn't half-elves or elves that brought down the Tower of Salvation! A piece of that tower landed right on my house, killing my parents and even my best friend, damnit! That is what angels have done! And that monster that you're protecting is one of them! He's destroyed homes and lives countless times, eliminating villages and causing widespread problems! This village even suffers from Lloyd's escapades! A side-effect of his destruction!" He looked up now, glaring right into Zelos' eyes. "How can you defend a monster like him? Every time I see those wings of his... they disgust me! Grotesque monstrous things! They all have to come to justice for what Yggdrasil and the other angels did!"

"And what the hell gives you the right to pass that judgment, Warren? That kind of thing is left to the gods, if there even are any! And what about all those you've killed that had just a little bit of angelic blood in them? What about them? You've killed those who have no power in them at all! Isn't what you're doing the same thing as Lloyd? Destroying lives! For no damn reason!"

"I'm killing them and purging this world for all those who were hurt by angels! I'm fighting on behalf of those like me who have suffered because of those monsters... including you!" Zelos paused. "It was because of the angels that you were born! They sent signs to your parents and directed your birth... made you live in this hell... and yet you still defend him. I'll ask you again... how can you protect a beast like Lloyd Irving?"

"By remembering that some things can't be prevented. I know more about what has happened to Lloyd than you. The only reason he was put into situations that caused the destruction of the villages was because of discrimination like yours, Warren!"

Warren sighed. "It seems logic doesn't reach you at times like this..." He took up a stance. "I suppose fighting is the only way to get through to you."

Zelos frustration began to peak. _I don't even want to know how he knows that stuff about me... and I also don't know why the hell I'm so pleased with protecting Lloyd right now... that bastard... but... I still have to yell at him for this whole damn thing._

He growled audibly. "And I won't let anyone touch him or hurt him until I get to do that!!" He slammed his foot into the ground, charging it with mana, and holding his sword in the air. "Indignation!" he shouted. Mana fluttered around himself and Warren before exploding in a ball of light, Warren yelping loudly. When the light settled, no one was anywhere near. Zelos felt himself hit the ground, barely aware that he had even fallen. He glanced up at Raine, who wearily pulled herself to her feet, glancing at the cement prison she had fashioned for Letto.

"They're gone..." she muttered. She looked to Zelos, a hesitant smile playing on her lips. "Since when do you know Indignation? I didn't think anyone but elves could use attacks like that."

Zelos chuckled weakly. "Normally, I can't... I can only do that one when I'm really pissed for the most part. I have a small amount of elven blood in me... remember? I was injected with it when I was younger. But because the amount of blood is so small, I can't do it very often." He propped himself onto his elbows and swiveled his body around to eye Sheena. "Hey... Sheena... Presea... you all right? You hurt?"

"Physically? Not really..." Sheena muttered, standing and putting a hand to her gut. "But I gotta tell you... my pride is in shambles. We won against the infamous Mithos Yggdrasil and we just lost to a few petty hunters?"

Zelos chuckled as he got to his feet. "Didn't I tell you that they were good?" He looked to Raine, who was making her way over to them. "They have all the latest gadgets and all, but as you could see, Letto's the only one who really uses them. I don't know what the hell Farith is, though. I've never seen anyone move that fast."

Raine put a hand to her chin as she made her way over to Presea who was struggling to get to her feet. "My guess is... he's actually a half-elf."

"Really?" Sheena inquired, stuffing her cards back into her belt. She looked to Zelos.

"Their race isn't all that important really. I just always assumed they were humans." Zelos shrugged.

Raine sighed and turned to look at Colette who rested quietly against the destroyed building. She gave a weak smile. "You guys at least did better than I did," she muttered. Raine shook her head, kneeling next to her.

"Colette... what were you doing out here by yourself? You should've gotten us before engaging them. You could've been killed by those guys."

Colette looked down. "Well... It's just... if I went to you guys... they could've followed me and found out where we were staying. And then... they'd find Lloyd." She shook her head. "I couldn't let that happen." Her blue eyes got serious. "We have to protect him... no matter what."

Zelos scoffed. "That idiot... why should we have to risk our lives for a selfish guy like him?"

"You're wrong, Zelos..." Colette muttered. "Lloyd isn't selfish... granted, he ran from his problems, but he still sacrificed himself. He saved every life on this world... and weather or not we like it... we all owe him our lives. He deserves to be brought back. But we need him to be safe in order to do that."

Zelos looked away and sighed. "Damnit..."

* * *

"Wow... you guys look like a train wreck," Kratos muttered. 

"Thanks for the indulgment... jerk," Zelos shot as he was rested on the bed near Genis. He sighed and put a hand to his chest. "Damn... that guy can hit hard."

Presea plopped onto the floor and Sheena took a seat next to her as Colette lowered herself down next to Lloyd. Raine indulged Genis, Kratos, and Regal in a play-by-play of the battle, and once she was done, Kratos sighed. "This is no coincidence... those guys have been watching us... for a while, probably."

"What do you mean?" Sheena inquired.

"Think about it... they attack Colette while she's alone, when Lloyd just happens to be out of commission? They know what we've been doing, and they're probably still watching."

"Well... that's creepy..." Sheena muttered.

"I doubt it. Zelos blew them away with an Indignation, so they'll probably be reeling for a while," Raine chuckled. "I dunno about injuries, but not even we knew that Zelos could do that. Now that they've discovered he has an ability they didn't know about, I'm betting they'll take some time to recheck their information and prepare properly for another assault." She looked down. "After all... with how persistent they've been so far... chasing Lloyd for years... they're not likely to give up."

"That also gives us time to plan a strategy," Regal commented. "Analyze their fighting styles and try to come up with a way to keep ourselves from being hurt so badly next time."

Raine nodded. "Like I said... I believe that Farith is a half-elf. He certainly wasn't an elf with that dark hair of his. Not to mention he didn't exude enough mana to be a full-blooded elf."

Zelos groaned and lay down on the bed. Genis raised an eyebrow from where he sat. "Aww! Do we have to do this analytical stuff now?"

Raine nodded. "Of course! We don't know how long they will stay down! We need to analyze them immediately in case they decided to attack again tomorrow, though it is unlikely."

Regal looked up. "Can we count on Kratos next time they attack?"

Raine shook her head. "I doubt it. Kratos won't be able to fight for another few days, and even then, he'll be slowed up a bit since his muscles won't be fully recharged for a little while afterward. I wouldn't count on much help from him. I would prefer he stay back entirely, but I doubt he'll do that."

"Damn right," Kratos assured her, earning a chuckle from Raine.

"What about Genis?" Regal suggested.

"I'll be fine in a few days. I should be ready."

Raine shook her head. "No... It's the same as with Kratos for you. Kratos uses his physical strength to fight, and you use your mana... which were the two things that beam took from you. You need to lay low for a while." She leaned back against the wall. "Back to that Farith guy... I have a theory about his speed..." She held up a finger. "It seems impossible, but I think he could be focusing mana in his body."

"What?" Genis cried, standing, collapsing, catching himself on the bed again and pulling himself back up in one fluid motion. "He's focusing his mana flow enough that you can't see him? Do you people have any idea how long I've been trying to do that?"

Raine chuckled. "Well... though it is difficult, it's not impossible, and if I'm correct, this guy has mastered the ability."

"Professor, what exactly does that mean...? Focusing the mana flow?" Colette inquired.

Raine smiled and Colette saw her teacher-face appear again. "Good question, Colette. As you know, mana permeates all living things. It is what gives things the ability to live. Elves and half-elves have the ability to take control of the mana inside and around them and use it how they please. The common uses for this concentration are attacks and barriers like Genis uses. However, there is another more difficult way to control it and that is to focus the mana you control into a certain part of your body. With the mana, you are able to enhance different types of abilities. For instance... in Farith... I believe that he is focusing his mana into his arms and legs to allow him to increase his speed past the capabilities of even an angel, I'm guessing."

"He was that fast?" Kratos inquired, his eyes widening.

Raine nodded. "We couldn't see him at all."

Kratos looked back to the ceiling. "Wow... well... Lloyd and I can do that, but the realm of movements faster than the human eye is rather large. Even though we can move faster than your eyes, he could possibly be even faster. But I would have to see for myself to tell."

"We don't have that kind of opportunity, however" Regal muttered. "So... is there any way to stop that mana flow and slow him up...?"

Raine nodded. "I've been thinking about it since we got back... and I think... if we could somehow decrease the amount of mana in the surrounding air, we might be able to slow him up."

"It's a starting theory, anyway. What about the other two? This... Letto guy. You say he uses the magitechnology?" Kratos inquired.

Raine nodded. "Yeah... He has a gun loaded with Lloyd's angelic mana that he's been able to fire a few times, and he also has a device, which seems to reverse the flow of mana. When I threw an attack at him, he simply threw it right back at me."

Sheena looked up. "He's human, and since he can't manipulate mana, he's having those machines do it for him. Meaning he specializes in facing someone like you, Raine."

Raine smirked. "I suppose. He wasn't able to block my Grave attack, though. I think its because the mana was sent through the ground and unless he can target the mana, he can't absorb it like the other attacks."

"Come to think of it, that's probably why Warren told Letto to attack you, Raine. If he knows that Lloyd is out of commission, it isn't too far of a step to say he knows what we can do," Presea commented.

"Yeah. If our theories about his fighting style are correct, Presea or Zelos would be best to fight him since you guys don't use much mana when you attack," Raine suggested. Presea nodded.

"What about the last guy... Warren?" Kratos proceeded.

The group looked to Zelos. Zelos stared at the ceiling. "He's like Magar, but with a weapon," he muttered. "He uses his fists, but he has a sword in case that doesn't work. I imagine his sword skills are just as good as his hand-to-hand skills, considering he took Lloyd on when we first found him." Raine nodded. "His weakness is probably his speed. He's pretty fast, but it's quite possible to be faster. I'd say that Kratos or Lloyd is the best match for him. Their angel speed will keep them out of harm's way for the most part."

"But we can't count on Kratos for the next battle, and Lloyd certainly isn't going to help," Sheena cut in.

"Hey, I'm just stating facts, people," Zelos growled.

"Well... I'd probably be a good match for him," Raine offered. "Sheena or I, I'd say."

"Alright, alright! We have analyzed stuff... can we go to bed now?" Zelos requested.

Raine chuckled quietly. "Alright, everyone. Let's get some sleep. If they do attack tomorrow, we'll need to be rested." She bowed slightly. "Night everyone." The groups filtered out, leaving Kratos, Lloyd and Zelos alone. Zelos looked to Lloyd, removing his shirt and tossing it over the footboard. He climbed into bed and sighed. "I really hope this pays off... this searching for the Phoenix. Cause I will haunt your soul for the rest of your frikkin life if I die from all this."

In the opposite bed, Kratos smiled.

_To be continued..._

* * *

Bijin: Alright! Time to head for Meltokio! Woot! Hope you guys enjoyed teh fightness. I've been enjoying writing the fight sequences for this story, and I... dunno really why. XD They've been turning out better than normal. I used to hate writing fight scenes. XD 

**Next Chapter: A Glimmer of Hope**


	18. A Glimmer of Hope

Bijin: Sorry the wait for this chapter was a little long. It got a bit tough to write. But anyway... my muse needed a rest. I was overusing it and eventually ran out of steam. but hopefully it's back online, and it's time for another chapter! Review responses first!

Jana-Yggdrasil: It's not just you. XD

Catwarrior: Well, I would think so. The rest of his body is functioning normally, as Kratos said. So yeah.

Maxmagnus20019: Yay! Thanks!

bentlyandtalesofsymphoniafan: Thanks. XD Writing fight scenes in this story has been surprisingly easy. Dunno why.

RedDiamondWarrior: Kinda soon... XD

Alright then... chapter time!

* * *

**Chapter 18: A Glimmer of Hope**

"We're near Meltokio!" Raine called to the general group behind them. "Let's touch down here!"

"What? But why?" Zelos whined.

"Rheairds are large machines people like to see in action. They draw a lot of attention. Having a crowd around increases the chance of someone recognizing Lloyd. We need to get him to the Inn as quickly as possible to keep people from seeing him," Raine called back.

"Yeah, and every time you say that..." Zelos paused as the rheairds were parked and turned off. Once the engine noise had died down, he continued. "It means more of me lugging this guy around." He pulled the limp Lloyd from the back of his rheaird and with a little help from the now-walking Genis, hoisted him onto his back. "Looks like freakin luggage back there," he muttered as they set off toward the nearby city. Kratos was walking on his own, though Regal stood close beside him, lest he topple over as he seemed to be prone to doing. Genis was walking fine and were it not for his change in attitude, one would think nothing had happened.

The aura of excitement reached them far before they entered the cities gates. It always did. Meltokio was a city brimming with energy, no matter what season or time of day. Even amidst the problems with angels and such, Meltokio remained standing tall, headed by its King and ever-resilient citizens.

Zelos sighed. "Look... I am not lugging this guy around all day. Can't we dump him off at the Inn before we go to the Elemental Research lab?"

Raine stopped the group just before they entered the gates. "Yeah... we should probably decide who should go with Zelos to the lab and who should hang out at the inn. A large group is going to attract attention and we can't bring Lloyd along in case someone recognized him. And we certainly can't leave him at the Inn alone. So... what do we do?"

"Well... it would be best if at the very least, you go, Professor Raine," Regal suggested. "After all, Zelos has the necessary authority to get in, but you're better than anyone at figuring things out."

Raine nodded. "You should come too, Regal."

"What? Why me?" he inquired.

"You have a rather geographical mind as well as connections leading all over Tethe'alla and Sylvarant. Your knowledge could be very helpful in deciphering our next move," Raine concluded. Regal shrugged and nodded.

"Anyone else we need to take?" Zelos inquired.

Sheena raised her hand. "I could come. I know a bunch of people in that lab."

Raine shook her head. "Nah. Zelos knows more people than you do, and it's best to keep the group as small as possible.

Sheena nodded and looked around. "So... I suppose the rest of us head to the Inn?" Colette suggested.

Zelos nodded. "Who carries the dead guy?" he inquired flatly.

Genis sighed and pulled Lloyd from his back. "Oh don't be a baby." He rolled his eyes. "Zelos, will you at least help me get him onto my back?" He stopped as Kratos' hands grabbed Lloyd's underarms and held him still while Genis turned and the two of them pulled Lloyd onto the half-elf's back. He chuckled at Zelos. "Lazy ass."

Zelos shot him a look, but then stuck his nose up and pulled Raine and Regal with him as they headed for the city. "We'll see you back at the inn tonight, alright?"

Genis sighed and the group headed into the city, proceeding quickly to the Inn, trying to keep their movements as casual, yet discreet, as they could. After all, the risk of someone recognizing Lloyd in his current state was a danger they were not too thrilled to take. "Four per room... two rooms, please," Kratos requested. He was handed two keys in exchange for his money and the group headed up the stairs. Kratos handed a key to Sheena. "Why don't you three head to your room and get settled in?" Sheena nodded and headed to her assigned room as Kratos unlocked the boys' room. Genis adjusted Lloyd again. "Hey... there are four per room, but there are five boys. Why are we only using one room?"

Kratos sighed and opened the door. "Because Lloyd doesn't need a bed," he muttered. They headed in and Genis set Lloyd down on the floor near the window, adjusting his position against the wall.

He looked up. "What about you, Kratos? How are you feeling? You seem to be walking pretty well today."

Kratos shrugged. "I'm still a little wobbly." He stood again and headed for the door. "I'm gonna head out. Just gonna... walk around town a bit."

Genis stood. "You want me to come? Like you said, you are a bit shaky..."

Kratos waved his hand. "No thanks. I'll be fine. Why don't you see if you can find a method to give Lloyd some water?"

Genis sighed as the door closed. "Great... easy for him to say..." He looked to Lloyd's vacant form and chuckled. "I suppose the best friend gets stuck with these kind of jobs." He stood and headed over to the sink.

Outside, Kratos had made his way down to the main lobby again and had collapsed onto one of the provided couches. He sat still, attempting to catch his breath and was almost trying to mentally calm the burning in his legs. His entire body shook as he sat and he jumped like a frightened cat when a hand was placed on his shoulder. He looked up into the smiling red eyes of Sheena. "Oh... hi."

Sheena gave a giggle. "You seem high-strung. What are you doing down here?"

Kratos shrugged. "Can't stand just sitting in one place for so long. Besides... I want to get my legs used to walking again." He stood again.

Sheena sighed. "I'll come with you then. It wouldn't be good for you to go out on your own and collapse while you're out."

"Suit yourself..." Kratos stood again and the two headed out, taking a road toward the central stairway that lead up into the higher section of the city. The much-visited weapons and armor shops... and the large coliseum. Before them was yet another grand stairway, leading to the highest part of the city, populated by the aristocrats like their own Zelos. But Kratos was content to refrain from climbing such stairways. They began making their way toward the item shop, neither one speaking, Kratos lost in his own thoughts. Compared to the speed of his mind, the world slowed down, each step taking a minute, each breath lasting forever. Sheena remained silent beside him, sensing his busy mind.

_A complex character..._ Kratos smiled. _That was one thing Lloyd wasn't. A simple-minded person who believed in the straight facts. Discrimination was wrong. That was his belief. There was no other side to it. It was simple and clean. One person sacrificing themselves to save a group... that was wrong. There was no other fact to it... he was naive... and simple-minded..._ He looked up. _How did he change this much?_

A sigh escaped his lips.

_He did..._

He couldn't help but chuckle at the thoughts and memories that passed across his mind.

_I wonder... when things like this happen to a child... death before the parent... do all parents think back to their original dreams as I do? Children cannot be controlled... they are from our bodies... but they are their own person. But... how can we possibly prevent something like this?_

**FLASHBACK**

Tiny... so tiny... that was all that could be said to describe the child. A thin layer of dark hair covered his head and his large eyes were wide and brown with excitement at the world around him. He stared up at his father, a smile showing off healthy pink gums and a happy coo erupting from small vocals every few moments.

"Kratos... Kratos, don't hover over the baby so. You'll scare him if you keep that close." A chuckle was behind the soft voice that spoke. Kratos stood straight, as if he had been caught doing wrong. He turned and smiled, a blush coloring his cheeks.

"Sorry, Anna..." He stopped. "I'm not scary, am I?" he inquired. Anna smiled and planted a kiss on his lips before moving past him to the small bed they had placed the small newborn.

"No, of course not," she answered happily. Not offering any explanation beyond that, even though it contradicted her earlier statement. She knelt next to the crib and peered in, feeling the redhead sit beside her.

"It's just..." Kratos waved his hand, his eyes never leaving his son's small head. "He's so... tiny..."

Anna chuckled. "Of course he is... he's a baby."

Kratos smirked. "Well, yeah... but... you know..." He looked up. "For as long as I've lived... I've never been this close to a baby... and for as long as I've lived... I can't remember when I was small. All the memories of my childhood have faded... washed away by the ever-moving current of time."

Anna looked at him for a long moment. "Well... you may not remember your childhood, but you get the chance to watch one now..." She looked down. "I wonder what he'll be like when he grows up... A powerful man like you, no doubt."

Kratos blushed. "I can only hope he doesn't turn out like me... I've sinned too much to warrant such flattery."

Anna shook her head. "No... I think it would be the best thing in the world for our child to grow up to be like you... A strong man who faithfully protects his friends and even though he is strong, can love one like me so deeply." Kratos' face went red.

"Well... you make that last part pretty easy, Anna." He looked back to the boy. "I can't even think of what I would want my son to be like. But I guess we'll find out, huh?"

Anna smiled and nodded, looking to him as well. "You know... he's nearly a year old now... isn't it about time we gave the boy a name?"

Kratos chuckled. "Oh, I've been trying to avoid that. I have no idea about names."

Anna leaned down slightly, gathering the baby into her arms before straightening. "I want it to be something simple..."

Kratos sighed and folded his arms. The only names that came to his mind were those of his parents, but he doubted those would do for Anna. They were much too flamboyant. He looked up. "Anna... how your father's name?"

"My father?" She looked down. "Yeah... Lloyd, then..." She smiled and pressed her lips to the boy's cheek. "Lloyd Aurion. That has a nice ring." She took a few steps closer to Kratos, holding the baby out. "Why don't you hold him?" she inquired, a giggle behind her voice.

Kratos smiled with warmth he didn't know he possessed. He took the soft bundle into his arms, parting the thin blankets wound around his body to stare at his face. The child gave a coo, then smiled widely. "Hello there, Lloyd..." he muttered. "What kind of man will you be?" He asked under his breath. The child's small and fat arm suddenly jutted upward, his smile growing wider and several small giggles escaping his throat. Kratos looked up, seeing nothing but the sky. He smiled down at his son. "I see... you like what's up there, huh?" He caught the small hand, allowing the fingers to wrap around his thumb. The child became immediately immersed with it, his eyes leaving the sky. Kratos smiled again as he watched the boy play with his thumb, which seemed so giant compared to his own tiny hands. _What kind of man will you be...?_ He looked up, and his face went red. "What, Anna?" he inquired. "Stop laughing."

Anna waved her hands. "It's nothing! You just... you look so cute." She giggled once more and headed over to their tent, vanishing inside. Kratos turned slightly as a large head butted against his thigh.

"Noishe... back from your hunt already?"

Noishe cocked his head and licked his lips, poking his nose at the bundle in his arms. "You want to see the baby again?" he inquired. Noishe whined. "Alright, but be gentle." He knelt before the creature and glanced down at Lloyd. "Noishe... this is Lloyd..."

**END FLASHBACK**

_Even though I didn't get to see the process... I saw the man you had grown to be and was proud of you. You were a man nothing like me... bent on helping people and charging ahead with your own ideals as your guide rather than clinging to another's._

**FLASHBACK**

Atop a mountain- the wind blowing roughly- Kratos stood, decked out in white as Yuan's caped form flew away from the summit. Kratos looked to the group, Lloyd in the front. His sword returned to its sheathe, and he looked to Lloyd.

"Damnit, Yuan! Wait!" Lloyd shouted.

Kratos took a slight step into his path. "... What are you doing?"

Lloyd's eyebrow cocked upward innocently. "... What?"

Kratos didn't miss a beat. "Why have you come all the way here to Tethe'alla?"

"I'm here to save Colette..." Lloyd answered, his voice betraying he thought the answer was obvious.

Kratos gave a scoff. "What good will saving the Chosen do? The relation of the two worlds vying for each other's mana will not change. Their positions have merely been reversed by the regeneration ritual."

Anxiety entered Sheena's eyes. "Has Tethe'alla begun to decline?"

Kratos turned to glance at the tall stick-like figure hidden by distance and clouds. "The Tower of Salvation can still be seen from this world as well. As long as that exists here, it means that this world is still flourishing. Although, in the event that the Chosen becomes Martel's vessel, Tethe'alla will surely bid farewell to its era of prosperity."

Lloyd's fists balled. "Damnit... isn't there anything that can be done? Yggdrasil's the one who built this twisted world!"

Kratos shook his head. "Lord Yggdrasil does not consider it twisted. If you want to do something about it, use your own head." He paused. "I thought you weren't going to make any more mistakes."

The spark of energy and determination entered Lloyd's eyes as he spoke next. "Yeah, I'll do it! This stupid system of two worlds stealing mana from each other... I swear I'll change it!"

Kratos couldn't stop the tint of pride that entered his voice as he said, "Heh... well, do your best."

**END FLASHBACK**

_Even then, when I suggested that he do something... he went ahead with it not because it was something I said, but because he truly believed it was right... and that it was what he had to do. He chose his own path... thought of his own solution to the situation._ He smiled again and Sheena looked up for a brief moment before looking back to the road in front of her. _And you didn't just think of another way... you actually acted on it. You held firm to your beliefs. Even though everything was against you... you had become strong enough to hold tight to your beliefs and not falter like I did..._

**FLASHBACK**

Kratos could feel his consciousness slipping, lying on the dirt drive of Altessa's home. Yuan's electric blasts had gotten quite good since their last spar so long ago. He could still feel Lloyd's presence beside him, and he could feel his eyes baring down on his prostrate form. He found he could not open his eyes, but felt content to listen.

"Thanks," he muttered.

Kratos nearly laughed, but lacked the energy to.

"But I still can't call you dad."

He nearly laughed again as Lloyd's name was muttered from off to the side. Kratos decided it was none other than the Chosen and ignored her, focusing on Lloyd's voice. "I hate what you... what Cruxis does. Too many people have died. People from Sylvarant... People from Tethe'alla... Desians and Renegades and members of Cruxis... they're all victims. I refuse to accept the idea that it's okay to sacrifice people for a cause. It's not okay to lose your life. No life should be born for the sole purpose of dying. I won't sacrifice the world to save Colette. I'm not giving up until I find a way for everyone to live..."

**END FLASHBACK**

_No matter what happened... you didn't give up on that path. You chose it, and you followed it. You had become a man that I had wanted to be. Normally it is the son who emulates the father. Perhaps I should've emulated you. And throughout the entire journey... no matter how tough, you held onto that idea... that aspect of the gentle idealist... you didn't lose sight of your goal no matter how tempting Yggdrasil's 'perfect world' seemed._

**FLASHBACK**

The group stood on a floating piece of stone set high in Derris-Kharlan. A crumbling throne sat ahead of them and a newly reverted Mithos floated before them, his body having just changed from adult to child right before their eyes. He spoke.

"Everyone should become lifeless beings. I told you before. The only way to eliminate discrimination is for everyone to become the same race."

From in front of Kratos, Lloyd shook his brown head. "What you hope for is nothing but a dream, Mithos. Discrimination comes from the heart."

**END FLASHBACK**

_Even staring down the face of your enemy... one who offered a seemingly logical answer to the problem... you held to your beliefs and did not back down. And you were even naive enough to wish for Mithos' repentance... hoping that he would become once again like the Mithos I traveled with. You did not understand that for Mithos there was no going back. He had come too far... he had done too much. But to you... you were simple-minded enough to think that changing one's ways was as simple as flipping the coin over._

His face went solemn. _If I am so sure I was proud of you... why can I not decide if I am proud of you or not now?_ He looked up again._ You went against your own policies... you said you would find a way for everyone to live. And though you are not technically dead... you are not really alive. Why did you now bend on your beliefs? Bending nearly all of them..._ He sighed.

"It's odd, isn't it?"

He looked down to Sheena who had suddenly spoken.

"Lloyd has changed so much since we last saw him..." She looked to the sky. "I remember... when Mithos took us all captive in Derris-Kharlan, and Lloyd had to come save us all... After he rescued you, Zelos, and I... he went to save Presea and Regal. And... I'll never forget the thing he said to get them to stop fighting... He said that killing people out of revenge only spawns new hate and new revenge. And that... if you die, you are simply running away from your crime." She chuckled weakly. "Isn't it ironic that what he did... is in direct conflict with that...?"

Kratos shrugged. "It shows the power discrimination can have." He shook his head. "Perhaps that is a way of showing that the human spirit is easily wounded and lead astray."

"Maybe... but I always thought Lloyd to be stronger than that. He... he lived his life so out in the open. He showed me that he could make a difference by simply being himself. And suddenly... we see a Lloyd hiding behind a mask of anger and pain." She looked down. "How did he change so much...? How can I even say that the Lloyd laying in the Inn is the same Lloyd that saved us before?"

Kratos put a hand on her shoulder as they neared the Inn, having come full-circle around the lower portion of the city. "Because the Lloyd laying in the Inn saved us. Weather he is filled with hope or despair... we can link the two Lloyd's by their willingness to go all out to save this world."

Sheena fell silent as Kratos headed in. "The things he loved then... he still loves now on some level."

* * *

'Master Zelos!' A young man cried, entering the lobby where Raine, Regal and Zelos were seated. "Welcome back. It's been a while." 

"Yeah. Sorry I don't come down here more often Victor." He leaned on the counter and sighed. "We need to have a word with your records keeper. We need to know about any research, past or present... involving Phoenixes."

Victor paused for a moment, glanced behind him and sighed. "I suppose you have access, but be careful about the questions you ask. You could be suspected of snoopery if you get too curious. But information is all we can give you. Anything more you'll have to get permission from the King."

Zelos waved his hand. "Yeah yeah. I gotcha. So... where are the records computers?"

"In the back lab. There's a guy back there who mans the computers, and he should be able to help you." Zelos nodded and the three headed back. "He's relatively new here, though. Go easy on him!"

Zelos sighed. "These guys... always cycling out their staff." He shrugged and they entered the indicated room, coming to a young man sitting at the computer, a blue braid swinging behind his chair. He looked up as they came in, paused, then gave a smile.

"Welcome. What can I do for you?" he inquired kindly. Raine raised an eyebrow at him.

_He looks a bit young to be working here... and his voice sounds familiar..._

She shrugged it off as Zelos plopped his elbows onto the table. "Hey, dude. We just need some information files."

The man raised an eyebrow. "Information? On what?"

"Phoenixes," Regal answered for him.

The man paused before typing several things into the computer and looking back at them. "What exactly do you want to know?"

Zelos looked to Raine, who leaned over the counter. "Are there any researchers actively studying Phoenixes right now?"

He nodded. "Yeah... There are several, most of them at volcanoes."

"Volcanoes?" Regal repeated. "All of them? There are twenty-two volcanoes on the Neo World. Are there stations at all of them?"

"Well, yeah, but not all of them are researching Phoenixes. I can get you a list of the volcanic research sites if you want."

"If you don't mind me asking, why are they at volcanoes looking for a bird?" Zelos inquired flatly.

"Well... it's highly suspected that Phoenixes live in volcanoes. Setting up research stations is the best way to find out about them." He shrugged. "But I can only give you a listing. You can't actually visit the stations unless granted permission. They're pretty dangerous places."

Zelos blinked then groaned loudly. "Aww, damnit!" He cried, punching his own palm. "We don't have that kind of time. It'll take a few full days to get that approval. It has to come from the King after all and..." He trailed off as he heard a thump. The man slid him a thick piece of paper, an approval stamp set in the bottom corner. Zelos blinked again. "What the...? You could lose your job for this..."

He shrugged. "You guys seem to need this information. Not to mention I trust Zelos the Chosen One. Or former... whatever. I trust you have a reason for your haste."

Zelos' lips turned upward in a smile. "Thanks, man!" he cried, grabbing Regal's wrist and pulling him out the door. Raine stood and stared for a moment before she was also pulled away. The image of his hand stuck in her mind. A large thick hand that smelt heavily of mana, and on the ring finger... a simple silver band, the name 'Martel' engraved finely into it.

Raine smiled.

_To be continued..._

* * *

Bijin: Alright... sorry about all the italics. XD Thought and flashbacks. Bleh. Hope you didn't get confused. Can you guess who that was at the end? Betcha can't. XP 

Footnote: In Japanese culture, the baby is not named until a while after birth. I decided to make their customs similar to Japanese culture since this was from japan originally.

**Next Chapter: Strategy of Revival**


	19. Strategy of Revival

Bijin: Alright... this chapter is uber short, but once again... stopping point issues. Sorry these are coming out so slowly. x.x I've been getting busy lately. Anyway... um... review responses!

Alaia Skyhawk; Good to hear from you. And yay for Yuan! XD I mentioned before that I wanted to give him a cameo appearance at the least.

lloyd-forever: Woot for Yuan. XD

Jana-Yggdrasil: Nope. no flashbacks this time. XD Sorry fr overloading you last time.

bentlyandtalesofsymphoniafan: Yay!

Catwarrior: Yeah. Kratos is stubborn like that.

Alexa Aurion: if I told you that, what would be the point of writing the story? XD

Alright... go!

* * *

**Chapter 19: Strategy of Revival**

"Alright..." Regal began, laying down a large piece of paper across the table. "Here is a map of the Tethe'alla and Sylvarant regions of the Neo World. It's not very detailed, but it does give us the information we need." He motioned once over the entire thing with one hand. "There are twenty-two volcanoes in the Neo World, seven active, and fifteen dormant. According to the man at the counter, there are research stations at each one."

"But we can't just go around to each one. That would be a waste of time," Kratos observed. "After all, if we can find the Phoenix before the mana tracker is ready, we'd be better off. So we should do whatever we can to find it while we have time."

Zelos nodded. 'That's what Her Highness suggested. But like you said, going to random ones would be a waste of time. So what's our first move?" He looked to Raine.

"Well... we don't know too much about the Phoenix as it stands right now. I'm betting that if we visit one or two of the stations, we'll learn something that can narrow our search." She looked to Regal. "So... where's the nearest one, I suppose?"

Regal pointed to the southeast of Meltokio. "Here. It's several miles from here... in the Fooji Mountain range. Mount Arichi is what it's called, and it's dormant."

"So we'll head there in the morning," Zelos announced immediately. "So that's decided." He stood and stretched. "Who's up for dinner?"

Raine grabbed his arm and pulled him back into his chair. "Calm down, Zelos. We still have another matter to discuss." Zelos gave a pout and reclaimed his seat.

"Warren," Genis muttered.

Raine nodded. "While we're on this trip, we won't have the cover of an Inn nor a city. We'll be out in the open. It wouldn't be such a big deal, but Lloyd is not able to help us. We need to be sure we're ready to fight them should they come again."

"Well... it seems we would have to rely on strategy, since we are lacking somewhat in brute force," Regal muttered. "Kratos may be able to walk, but fighting is another matter. I doubt we should rely on him to help."

Kratos seemed only slightly put off. "I can at least perform spells and add first aide. I don't want to spend the entire fight sitting off to the side."

"That might work, but you'll need to be a pretty fair distance away. And we need to be sure that Warren and the others will not be able to see you while they are fighting. If they spot you, whose to say they won't abandon the fight and simply head after you?" Raine agreed.

"But continuing on the conversation we had the other day... and judging by the information you guys gave us last time... we know that Warren is going to set his guys against those of us that they are strongest against," Genis concluded. "Meaning, that Letto guy is going to come after Raine and me. He'll send the Farith guy after Presea, most likely... or anyone else who doesn't specialize in speed. And Warren himself will most likely go after Zelos... attacking someone with a sword as well."

Zelos shook his head. "Nah... Warren's most likely to go after Colette and I, not for our weapons, but simply because he hates angels. I heard a little bit from him last time... he despises angels. And even though Colette and I have lost our angelic blood, he still hates the part of us that was once angel. Basically... if we don't join his anti-angel campaign, he'll try to kill us."

"And you said that Kratos or someone with angel speed would be a good match for him since they are very easily much faster," Raine muttered.

"Yeah, but you have to remember that Warren isn't an idiot. I told you all this before we met up with Lloyd. Warren is one of the best angel hunters I've ever seen. He's not a fool, and the next time we meet him is going to be dangerous. Despite the fact that we can easily figure out who would be the best match for each of them, Warren is still going to command the other two to go after the ones they would be best against. It's going to be crazy confusion if we don't come up with something better than that," Zelos growled.

"What do you mean?" Regal inquired.

"I'm saying that Warren's strategy isn't going to alter simply because we change ours. He knows that the ones he set Letto and Farith against last time are the best matches for the two of them. They could easily overcome them. And if we change our targets, it doesn't mean that he will change Letto and Farith's." He paused, and then sighed, as the group didn't seem to be getting it. "Just because we have Presea go up against Letto, doesn't mean that Farith will settle with someone else as a target. I guarantee you that Farith will attack Presea while she is fighting with Letto. Causing that much confusion will only work to Warren's advantage. If you want our group to fight certain people, we have to come up with a way to force Letto and Farith to fight the people we want."

There was a long pause and Kratos finally spoke up. "Look... it's been kind of a long day. Why don't we all get some rest and think over some strategies tonight? We can talk about them tomorrow."

The group gave a general ascent and the girls headed out, leaving Zelos, Genis, Kratos, Regal, and the still Lloyd to get ready for bed.

* * *

"I see a pattern," Sheena chuckled as she removed her kimono and slipped into a smaller nightgown. 

"Huh?" Colette breathed, looking up from where she was fiddling with her bed sheets.

"Nothing..." Sheena shook her head and sat down at the edge of her own bed. "It's just... I seem to see a pattern for these trips of ours."

"I know what you mean," Raine cut in, sitting down next to Sheena and smiling faintly. "We tend to start with one mission, but end up receiving a second, possibly more important, mission soon after."

"Yeah," Sheena nodded. "And it's interesting... to me... saving Lloyd seems almost more important than our original mission was."

Colette smiled. "Yeah..."

"If only for our own sakes," Presea added, sitting down next to Colette. "We came to depend on Lloyd. Not in a bad way, but simply because he could give people hope with the slightest effort. In our own minds, I think we saw Lloyd as the embodiment of the idea that everyone could live equally someday. And to people like Zelos and Kratos who learned life-changing lessons from him, he was someone they could put faith in."

"And when he sacrificed himself, he let that faith down. And we seemed to lose the hope that people could live as equals. Even though it isn't true... with or without Lloyd, the hope of equality is still there... but for us personally... I think it is just too hard without the person who lead those dreams in the first place," Sheena continued.

Colette gave a light chuckle. "And... Isn't it ironic... that everything he stood for... and everything he stood against... kind of got flip-flopped?" She looked up. "After all... didn't he say that sacrificing one for the sake of others isn't right? And that's exactly what he did. He saved me... he saved my soul... simply because he believed that sacrifice was wrong. And then... a few years later, he turns around and does the same thing."

"I did notice that," Sheena muttered. "And Kratos told me something when I pointed it out... and his words stand out in my mind. He said that the things Lloyd said and did show the power discrimination can have. That the human spirit can be easily lead astray by things like that."

"He's made an example of himself..." Raine muttered. "His sacrifice... the things he said... the things he did... everything... weather it was his intention or not... it showed us just how powerful discrimination can be."

Sheena nodded.

"But he did it in the wrong way. He could've shown us any other way," Presea muttered. "Weren't his words enough?"

"His intention wasn't to show us anything," Colette countered. "Yes, he did want to escape from the pain he was living in, but he also wanted to save the world. Whatever that meant... he wanted to save us. And like I've said before... weather or not we are happy with his method is not in question. He saved our lives and the lives of everyone else on this world. Plain and simple. He saved us and we owe him."

"Yes... we owe him enough to do everything we can to get his soul back," Raine answered immediately. "And that means heading to Mount Arichi tomorrow morning."

The group nodded in ascent.

_To be continued..._

* * *

Bijin: okay... I'm dead. Time for sleep... x.x Stay tuned for the next chapter. 

**Next Chapter: Mount Arichi**


	20. Mount Arichi

Bijin: An uber short chapter... so I'm going to be honest with you real fast.

The reason for the lack of updates... number one... I'm stuck. I've worked out the next chapter, but I'm having trouble writing it. It's almost done. I jst have to beat my head in and do it. XD Which will hopefully be soon. The other reason is that my mother was in a motorcycle accident a while ago, and broke her right leg in two places. Between filling in for my mom, working, and doing stuff around the house, I've had less and less time for writing. But things are calming down more and more as time goes by so I have been able to get a little bit done.

Like I said, I hope you don't mind the shortness here... but this is the most I can give you right now. I'm gonna try and work on the next chapter as soon as I'm finished posting this one. So... yeah. Alright! Reviewer responses!

Lloyd-forever: Yeah. I think Lloyd deserved that. The people he hurt are mainly the ones around him, after all. Everyone else is all like, "Woot! We're alive! No deathy! Party time!"

Alaia Skyhawk: Thanks. Good to hear from you.

Maxmagnus20019: I'll try. XD

Jana-Yggdrasil: Yep, flashbacks are over. And sorry. Yuan just has a cameo in this one. I put him in there a little bit simply cause I luv heem. XD

Catwarrior: Much trouble indeed.

George Lennon: Like I said, I'll try! But... umm... I hope there's no 'timely manner' attached on there. Cause as you can see, I'm failing miserably at the whole 'update-at-a-freaking-steady-rate' thing.

Amanda Kelly: Dont'cha just love ironic twists like that?

That's all for now. On to the chapter!

* * *

**Chapter 20: Mount Arichi**

"Mount Arichi... there it is!" Regal called behind him as the group began to descend the rheairds toward the summit. Within a few moments, a small grouping of tents and a few small buildings could be seen. It seemed mostly vacant, not like a town or small city. Like a small facility set up, then abandoned. Zelos merely leaned back against his rheaird as they landed. Raine stopped as she realized he wasn't following them to the station.

"Zelos? Come on. We have work to do," she urged.

Zelos held up his hands. "Hell no. I'm staying right here," he announced.

Kratos smirked. "You afraid of volcanoes or something... Pinki?"

"Shut it, Papi. No, I'm not afraid of volcanoes..." he jabbed his thumb at the limp form that was set on the back of his rheaird. "I'm not lugging that guy around when there's no place to set him down."

"Oh for crying out loud!" Kratos threw his hands into the air and headed over to pull Lloyd's body from the rheaird, hoisting him onto his back and heading after Raine. "Stop whining, will you?"

Zelos growled and marched after them. "You haven't had to carry that guy the entire time so far!"

"Give it a rest, guys." Regal rolled his eyes. They reached the front tent, behind which appeared to be the main building. It appeared to be a mobile unit, though larger than a standard one. At the front stood two men in uniform, faces concealed by masks and large weapons at their sides. The group was stopped as they attempted entry.

"No one is allowed in this station without admittance from the King," the larger one stated firmly.

"Which I so happen to have," Zelos remarked smartly, shoving the approval slip in the guard's face.

The guard blinked at it for a long moment before he sighed and stepped to the side, his partner following suit. They entered, ducking beneath the tent's cloth and heading in, filling up the small area quite quickly. The tent was mostly empty. There were a few long tables set up, chairs pulled up to each. Most likely a meeting room. Zelos raised an eyebrow. "Not a very lively place, is it?"

"This is a research facility, Mr. Wilder," a gruff voice cut in. An older man with sheet white hair stepped into the tent from near the building, giving a bow to the group. "It is certainly not lively where the research is not being conducted."

"Where does the research actually occur Mr. ..." Raine trailed off.

"Surah. Anthony Surah, Miss Sage. I head this station. And most of the research itself happens at the volcanoes peak, near the crater. Chemical tests are run in the building you see behind me." Raine raised an eyebrow at him.

_How does he know my name?_

"Chemical tests?" Genis repeated, seemingly not noticing his odd knowledge. "Why would there be chemical tests run in a facility where a Phoenix is being studied? I can understand mana tests... but why chemical?"

Surah stared at the boy for a long moment. "Phoenix? My boy, who said anything about studying Phoenixes? We study the influence of Efreet and Gnome in the magma crater of this dormant volcano. Research on Phoenix at this volcano hasn't been worked on for years."

"Wait... why aren't you studying the Phoenix? We were told that the stations set up at volcanoes were studying ways to track and locate Phoenixes," Kratos defended.

Surah nodded. "Some of them are, yes. But not this one. Why on earth would we try to find information on Phoenixes at a dormant volcano?"

"Phoenixes live in active volcanoes?" Colette suggested.

Surah raised an eyebrow. "Of course they do. You didn't know that?"

"No... Apparently that information is not all that available to the computers in Meltokio," Zelos grumbled.

"Well... if you'd like, I can go get the file on Phoenixes. All volcanic research teams get daily updates on Phoenix activities and sightings. Considering volcanoes are some of the highest places on the Neo World, we'd be the most likely to see them. But it'll take a while to get the entire file," Surah offered kindly.

"We'd appreciate that. In the meantime, is it possible for us to talk to the team on the summit right now?" Raine requested.

"I suppose so. Just show your admittance and they'll let you through. But don't distract them, all right? They've got a lot of work to do."

"Thank you very much." Raine bowed as Surah vanished back into the building and the group began making their way up the volcano's side.

The teams were set up in groups of five at least, and there were only three or four teams. Each was armed with a large backpack and one of the group would be scooping materials into small canisters to hand off. Raine approached the nearest one. "Excuse me, sir? Could we have a moment of your time?"

The collector of the team looked up, looked to his companions, then headed over to speak with her. "You guys reporters or something?" His eye caught the limp form hanging on Kratos' back and he raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong with him?"

"Never mind. No, we're not reporters, but we do have some questions for you," Kratos pushed.

The man looked behind them, then looked around and sighed. "I suppose that's not a problem. You guys couldn't get up here without admittance, so..."

"Thank you. First of all, has this station ever studied Phoenixes before?" Raine began.

"Well, sure. But that was years ago. I personally wasn't on the team at the time." He turned slightly. "Hey Gray!" One of the members from his team looked up. "Come here for a second!" The man made his way over, pulling a mask from his face to reveal an older man. "These guys want to know about the Phoenix projects from several years ago. You were on staff here at the time, weren't you?"

Gray nodded. "Yeah. We had to test several sections of the cooled magma that covers the top of the volcano to see if it contained the Phoenix's signature. We had only gotten through about half of it when the project was cancelled. They discovered that Phoenixes prefer active volcanoes."

"Why is that?" Kratos asked.

"Well... it was discovered that Phoenixes build their nests in magma pools. It's how they keep the fire in their bodies hot. But in a dormant volcano like Arichi, the top of the volcano is sealed shut by cooled magma. There's no way that it could get through to build a nest."

Raine smiled. "Thank you so much!" She looked to Kratos. "That certainly narrows our search. Let's head back and get that file from Dr. Surah."

Kratos nodded and the group gave a general bow to the young man and his older companion before turning on its heel and heading back down the mountain. "That cuts our number of possible volcanoes to seven. And if we can get any information from the file that Dr. Surah is getting for us, we should be able to narrow it even further," Regal announced proudly.

"Hey Regal, I've been wondering... does your company have any information regarding volcanoes? I know you do a lot of landscaping and geographical work," Genis inquired, turning slightly as he walked.

Regal shook his head and Presea spoke for him. "No. The Lezareno company used to do things like mining, but ever since the mines were shut down, we've done only landscaping and general contracting things. Revitalization projects and such. Since the government rethought and reorganized its power after the naming of the Tree of Worlds, they gave geographical authority to places like the elemental research laboratory and the Sybak institute. Our company was pretty busy with just the revitalization and such, so volcanoes weren't really under the list of things we worked with."

Genis shrugged. "Makes sense I- Agh!" The group gave a general cry of surprise as something nearby shook the very earth they stood on. Eyes were turned and widened at the smoke coming from a corner of the main research building.

Kratos growled. "Warren..."

Raine's eyes narrowed and she took off, the group following close behind her. "Come on, guys! We need to make sure everyone is alright down there!" The progression toward the building began immediately, but Raine stopped Kratos with her hands. Kratos gave her a wide-eyed look. "Listen... we don't know for sure that it's Warren down there. But if it is... you need to keep the two of you out of sight. If Warren finds out about Lloyd's condition and your inability to fight like normal, he'll kill you in a heartbeat."

Kratos said nothing as the group took off toward the explosion sight. Kratos glanced to his son's unconscious face, which rested on his shoulder, then grunted and took off down the mountain as well.

_I know I'm taking a risk... but these guys are after my son's life as well as my own. I'll be damned if I sit by and let someone else protect my son!_

_To be continued..._

* * *

Bijin: Gah! The shortness makes my eyes bleeed! Anyway... hopefully the next chapter will be up soon. I'm working on it. XD Review please! 

**Next Chapter: Justice and Madness**


	21. Justice and Madness

Bijin: Finally! This chapter took forever to write. x.x But it's finally done, and I have to add a little something here...

This chapter is fully dedicated to Rowena Raven, who has done the unthinkable in my mind... she drew fanart for my story. Which I will be geeking out about for the next year and a half. I am so honored that someone thought this story was that good, and so I must give her publicity for this. So check out her stuff here and on Deviantart. Beautiful fanart. I luv eet. So thank you so much Rowena!

Alright... onto our not-so-regularly-scheduled stuff... review responses!

Rowena-Raven: I am tho thilly... I cannot thank you enough and if you are continuing it, I will be watching most obsessively. XD

Jana-Yggdrasil: De-stressing is good. I hope this chapter doesn't re-stress you. oo

Maxmagnus20019: Indeed! Happy Holidays to joo as well!

George Lennon: It's alright. My mom is mainly just bored out of her brain. XD She doesn't get to do much since she's stuck around the house all the time. I'm the one running around like a chicken with my head cut off since I am now the primary driver in the family...

Alaia Skyhawk: Thanks. She's actually healing much faster than they though she was going to. Originally, they said it would be twelve weeks before she could walk on it again, but they've shortened it six, so she goes in on Wednesday to see if she can get the cast off. I just pray she can get a walking boot or at least some weight-bearing. XD

Alright. That's all, and it's time to start the freaking long-stalled chapter! Ugh... this has taken forever. It's a long fight scene and there's a lot of stuff that had to happen in it like the introductiion of a new character, which was a butt to write. And I was having so much trouble with it it took me a long time. Mainly cause I'm a bum... Kratos... why am I a bum?

Kratos: You're not a bum, Bijin.

I'm not?

Kratos: Of course not. You're a lazyass.

... I see... thanks for clearing that up for me.

Kratos: Glad to help.

* * *

**Chapter 21: Justice and Madness**

"Look, I don't mean to be Johnny Rain Cloud here, but we don't have a plan to do this, your Highness!" Zelos called to the white-haired woman. "Any ideas besides run around and get ourselves killed?"

"Well... perhaps. But I don't have a lot of time to explain it. Just follow my lead, and do what I tell you to do," Raine commanded.

"Whatever!" Zelos waved his hands.

Raine turned her head slightly, looking at Regal, Presea, Sheena, Colette, and Genis. "You guys do the same. But before we get into it, I want everyone to stay in groups! Presea, Sheena, and Regal, stick together and don't separate! Genis, stay close to me! Zelos, you and Colette stick together, alright?" The group nodded and began reforming their decent, and finally Zelos looked to the pale-haired half-elf.

"But what if it isn't Warren? It could've just been a mistake, you know."

"No... It's them! I can smell Farith's mana from here!"

Zelos rolled his eyes, but jumped up, allowing his body to change his location in the air and landed next to Colette, resuming his running upon his feet hitting the ground. The group came upon a rather unwelcome sight. Luckily, there were no bodies strewn about as there had been in previous locations. However, the main building that had been set up as the testing area was in shambles. And among the wreckage, stood three figures. Raine narrowed her eyes. "Told you..." she muttered.

Warren shrugged. "Your group seems to have diminished. Where are the two angels?"

"None of your business, Warren," Zelos snapped back. "On to the more pressing issue, what the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Just some research," Farith answered quietly.

Letto spoke next. "It seems you are interested in finding a Phoenix, eh?"

Raine growled. "What importance does that have to you angel hunters?"

"You tell me, Professor," Warren motioned to her. "Why are you searching for a Phoenix? You have two angels, two former chosen, a summoner and two half-elves with you, not to mention the pink-haired girl and her boyfriend there. What power could a Phoenix give you that you don't already have? And what makes you think you can find one? After all... scientists have been searching for years for a Phoenix and the most they've gotten is a glimpse and a few corpses. What makes your little club think that it can find one?"

"None of your business, Warren," Zelos repeated.

"And if I make it my business?" Warren inquired shortly. Foreword he darted, aiming a punch toward the redhead at the front. Zelos leapt to the side, sending a few fireballs from the end of his drawn sword. The group scattered as Warren plowed through the center of their ranks. Raine grunted as Letto flew into her vision, a hand held out, a hand-held mana cannon aimed.

"Beast!" The mana-charged head of a lion shot foreword, slamming into Letto's side, the brunt of the blow being borne by the small absorber on his opposite hand. Presea was between Raine and Letto in an instant, her large axe held high behind her. Regal appeared at Raine's side and motioned to Farith with cuffed hands. The thin man was attempting to dart around a large barrier set up by Genis to block his path to Presea and Regal's current position. Raine nodded and headed to join her brother as Regal and Presea turned to Letto. Letto cast a quick glance to the retreating half-elf and attempted to run after her, but was blocked by a horizontal kick to the shoulders courtesy of Regal.

"You certainly are a coward. Only going after those against whom you are strong," Regal retorted lowly, taking a wide stance.

Presea joined his side and reared her axe again. Letto chuckled. "You have an interesting perspective on things, Mr. Bryant." He tapped the machines on his palms together for a moment, and when he drew them apart, a strange mana cackled and danced between his fingers. "After all, I don't need to absorb mana to use mana!" Drawing his hands back to himself for a moment, he gathered the dancing mana to his palms, creating a large orb and with a grunt, he forced it foreword toward his two opponents. Presea grunted and threw herself out of its path, glancing to be sure Regal was out of the way as well before watching the orb shoot past them. She stood.

"Sheena! Genis!" she shouted.

Sheena whipped around and reddish eyes widened at the sight of the large orb flying at them. She looked to Genis, before shoving him to the ground and dodging herself. The orb rumbled past, and Farith easily got out of its path before turning once again to Genis, Sheena, and the approaching Raine. He took off to the side, attempting to round them and go after the two at the side, and Raine called to Genis. "Genis! Use the most mana-absorbing attack you know!"

Genis looked down, staring at the retreating Farith, and nodded, the glowing magic circle appearing below him as he flipped his kendama this way and that. Raine pointed at Farith. "Sheena! Slow him down!"

Sheena was in front of Farith in an instant, just in time to have his body topple over her own as she jumped in too late for him to stop. The two tumbled to the earth and leapt to their feet in one fluid motion. Holding out three cards, she smirked. "Afraid to fight me, Speedy-man?" she challenged.

Farith growled, glancing to where Letto was fighting, then back to Sheena and he had vanished in a flash, racing toward the girl at high speeds. Sheena gasped slightly, before holding out a particular card. "Guardian Seal!" She managed as a barrier erected before her. Farith zoomed around it, slamming a knee into her back, then rushing around to her front. Sheena dropped to the ground, a few of her cards hitting the ground before her and she looked back to Farith who loomed above her. "No..." he answered deeply.

"Holy Lance!"

A large square appeared below Farith and several gleaming blades of mana came down upon his previous position as he now stood several feet away.

"Meteor Storm!" Enormous balls of red mana fell from the sky, hitting the ground around Farith and dissolving into nothing.

A red meteor came flying back at Genis and he raised an eyebrow where Warren had deflected the poorly aimed ball back at him. Warren then turned his attention back to Colette and Zelos. Zelos held his sword out, challenging him, and Colette stood a few feet behind him, chakrams at the ready.

Warren sighed. "Why can you not understand what I'm trying to do?" he demanded. "I'm trying to help you people!"

"That's what Yggdrasil said, and look how things turned out there," Zelos countered.

"Yggdrasil was an angel. Comparison doesn't work there, Zelos," Warren chuckled.

"You're a real moron, you know that?"

"Enough chit-chat, red-head... if you aren't going to help me get rid of the angels, I'll have to get rid of you."

"For god's sake... I told you already I wasn't going to join you. You don't listen very well, do you?"

"You continue this futile attempt to fight against the angels' end and you tell me _I_ don't listen very well?" He gave a chuckle and his blade came down upon Zelos' the cold steel clashing loudly. Warren's body easily towered over Zelos', but the redhead did manage to hold him off until a silver chakram could slash itself across one of the brute's legs. He grunted and looked up at the blonde, a crazy look in his eye. But it was soon calmed and he pushed past Zelos, allowing him to fall to the ground as Warren slowly progressed toward his companion. "Isn't this interesting...? You... the former Chosen of Sylvarant had your soul locked away by angels... and yet you fight now to defend them? Why don't you feel the hate that I do?"

"Because Lloyd isn't like Yggdrasil. If anyone is like him... it's you!" All humor drained from Warren's expression and his eyes narrowed dangerously. Colette took a step away from his progression, but continued talking. "After all... Lloyd may be angry at the other races for hurting him like they did, but he doesn't want to kill off any of them like you do. That's what Yggdrasil wanted to do. He wanted to kill off all the other races. So besides limiting your desire to only one race, what is separating him from you?"

"I don't need to explain myself to someone like you! And besides... the race I am trying to get rid of is an evil race! Not just any race, but one which has caused so much suffering for so many people!"

"It's not fair to take out your frustration on other people's lives! Lloyd has done wrong things, but that's not for you to judge!"

"Shut up! Just shut up!"

Warren's body raced at her, his lumbering form threatening to encompass her entirely in a crushing embrace. Zelos worked himself onto his feet. "Colette! Get away from him, will you?"

Colette's body moved ever so slightly, but a look of fear had entered her wide eyes. Someone that large rushing at her with the obvious intent of doing serious harm was rooting her to the spot. Luckily for the nearby red-head, the assistance came in the form of a giant red meteor which crashed to the earth as a result of Genis' abilities. Warren stopped his progression to look over to where Farith was facing off against Sheena. He barely had time to take in the sight before he was roughly tackled from behind by a sword-brandishing redhead.

Nearby, Farith dashed out of the way of one meteor, but felt himself grazed by the white-hot light of a photon attack. He twirled slightly, spinning his body out of the way to face the white-haired young woman again. He put an arm to his burned shoulder, and looked down. _My movements... are being slowed down..._

He stood still, and for the moment, the circles of magic seemed to halt in their appearances around the feet of the two half-elves. Genis stomped a foot. "I don't get you! What do you have to gain by killing off the angelic race? Just because your leader hates them? If everyone who hates another race acted on it, there would be no one alive!"

Farith shook his head and smirked. "No... I want them gone as well."

Raine waved her staff around. "Why? Why should all angels die? What have they ever done to you?"

"They ruined my life!" Farith shouted. He was gone again, but it wasn't enough to completely lose their vision of him. Raine brought her staff up in time to block a leg aimed at her side. She stared down at him and he muttered a single word that made an eyebrow ascend over Raine's left eye, "Ozette..."

Raine shoved him away and stood straight. "Ozette? But you're a half-elf. Ozette was known for its despise of half-elves. Why would you be upset that people like that were destroyed?"

Farith shook his head. "No village is ever completely unified." Raine remained still, allowing him to continue.

Farith's suspicious eyes remained on all three of them as he spoke. "I was born to an elf father and a human mother, both of whom had no qualms about half-elves. They were good people. But they were murdered..." Raine felt a pain in the pit of her stomach. "A radicalist group of humans believing half-elves to be dangerous came after them for giving birth to one, and so I was sent to my godparents, my aunt and uncle who lived in Ozette. But they couldn't keep me there. Discrimination against my kind was too harsh and so after a week, I was sent away again to live in the Goaraccia Forest, where I trained myself in self-defense and even in attacking strategies. My aunt and uncle visited every other day to care for me. They became like my parents since I had few memories of them. And of course... you know what happened to Ozette..." He growled.

Raine brought her staff in a horizontal slash toward his middle. Farith was out of the way in an instant, but a side was caught by the fireballs that erupted from the tip. He then glanced to the side and dodged out of the way of a large ball of electricity as Genis shouted, "Spark Wave!"

Raine charged foreword, Sheena coming from behind at the same time. "Angels may have destroyed your family, but what good will getting revenge on angels do you? Will it bring them back to life?"

"The result of this is not my concern, really," Farith growled. "I merely follow Warren's leadership since it runs along the lines of my own goals." He jumped to the side, holding up a forearm to block a swung kendama from his side. Fireballs launched from the tip, and he spun his body out of the way, casting Genis' momentum to the side and causing the half-elf to stumble foreword. "All I want is justice... Justice for my family. And justice for others as well. I don't want anyone else to suffer as I have. Loosing one's family is hell. And I don't want someone else to go through it." Though his arm was singed, he paid it no mind, bringing his arm in a horizontal swing into the small of Genis' back. Pale hair hit the dirt, but his body immediately swung itself back into position and a magic circle formed itself below him once more, his voice muttering itself a chant.

Sheena waved her arm. "That's not justice! That's just madness! Bloodshed on account of a personal vendetta!"

Farith ignored her and raced toward Genis, but was met with Sheena halfway, a small card sealing itself to his forehead. It let out a hiss before he stripped it off and threw it to the ground, a hand wrapping around her small neck. Sheena squeaked, the remaining cards dropping to the ground as the hands occupied themselves with attempting to remove the one around her neck. From her position, Sheena felt a cool burst of wind blow across her face, and within seconds, she had been dropped. She backed away, gathering her cards, and looking to Farith. His entire arm was now encased in solid ice, as were his feet, sealed to the ground in the freezing solid. Disturbingly enough, his eyes held no emotion. They stared at the caster as he lowered his kendama and approached slowly. His arms had been frozen to his sides now, and he merely stared at the three of them for a long moment.

"No matter if it's just you, or you and Warren... We won't let you harm anyone else because of your idiotic prejudice," Sheena growled.

Farith chuckled. "And who the hell is going to reinforce that? Angels have caused so much pain in the world... it's only a matter of time before that hate wipes out the last few angels remaining." His mouth straightened. "And I swear, I'm going to..." He trailed off, his eyes locking on something behind them. And he smirked. "Warren!!"

The large man looked up from where he was attempting to work his way past Zelos and to Colette. From a few feet away, Letto looked up as well, his gun charging once again. His body shot out of the path of a strategically placed axe-slice, and looked up again.

Farith wriggled his feet inside their prisons. "It's the angels! There they are! Behind that landing of rock to your right!"

Letto smiled as he pulled a second gun from his belt, not even needing to hear a command from Warren. One gun was fired toward his current opponents, while the other was fired in Warren's general direction. Warren's large form shot off to the right, dashing back to see the object of Farith's exclamation. Raine growled at Farith, who simply smiled back at her. "You can't hide them forever, you know."

She, along with the two at her sides dashed for where Warren was peering over the edge of the rock landing, making solid eye contact with a certain redhead. Warren smiled. "Hello there, angel. It's been a while."

Kratos shot to his feet, pulling Silver Fang out in an instant, but the way his legs wobbled in half-anxiety, half in weakness made him even uneasier than he already was. _Damnit..._

"Kratos! Lloyd!" Colette shouted, taking a few steps toward where Warren was leaning. Her steps were effectively halted as a large ball of mana exploded into the ground before her, kicking up smoke and sending a wave of small rocks at her body. Zelos folded his torso over her slightly, taking a bit of the damage, growling at their current predicament. The dust kicked up by the blasts from Letto's gun was causing a complete lack in visual, and he could hear the gun fire a few more times. There was a long moment of silence among the larger of the two groupings, as no one dared move, though they dared not stay still either. Though picking the lesser of the two evils, the group remained relatively still as the smoke cleared. Zelos growled, taking in their current position. Farith had been freed from his prison of ice, most likely by the unseen gunshots fired amidst the smoke, and now stood mere feet from them. Raine and Genis were now at Zelos' sides, and Sheena stood further to the right, near Genis. Presea and Regal were being held currently at gunpoint as Letto still clutched tightly at his guns.

The area exploded into action. Several small bullets were launched from the guns, kicking up small clouds of dust around their feet. Presea and Regal leapt away as the gunfire was nearest to them. Sheena made a break for Warren's position, her tense legs shooting her foreword, but she was met halfway, Farith's knee burying itself into her stomach. She gagged slightly, her consciousness lost almost instantly as the momentum of her run and the momentum of his leg were clashed roughly into her gut. He dropped her to the ground and looked at Colette, Zelos, Raine, and Genis. "None shall pass. Warren is dealing with the angels... meaning I shall deal with you."

"Let's see if you can handle all of us, Lightning boy!" Zelos challenged, drawing Excalibur from its sheathe and swinging it downward. His swing was sidestepped and Farith came face to face with the pale blue eyes of Raine. She brought her staff upward, intending on landing a strike to the gut. However, Farith's ability to read movements outweighed her ability to make them, and his palm easily stopped the staff's progression. He shot his strength back into the staff, bringing the decorative part of it upward toward her chin. Her head moved itself mostly out of the way, allowing one of the staff's edges to cleanly slice open her cheek and temple. She grunted and stumbled back, holding a hand to the struck area, but then yelped again as the staff was torn from her hands. Farith's hand had closed around his end of the staff and he now swung it around to clip Zelos in the back of the head, laying him flat. He groaned, still conscious, but rather dizzied. Genis rushed forth next engaging the young man by firing the traditional fireballs from his kendama's tip, then swinging the kendama itself when they were dodged. Farith caught the kendama, forcing it back toward Genis and a stalemate occurred. Though Farith was indeed strong, his sacrifice for speed was no doubt his strength, and so Genis was able to match it easily. Unnoticed to Farith, a young blonde dashed past his distracted eyes toward the issue behind him.

Behind the large battle, a smaller one was being fought. Warren hopped over the small rock landing as Kratos slowly backed up. _Shit... what am I supposed to do now?_

"The poor boy looks tired..." Warren muttered, taking Lloyd's chin into his hand. Lloyd's lifeless brown eyes opened, staring at him. Warren cocked an eyebrow. "Now he looks... Hmm... This is interesting..." He glanced up at Kratos. "Your son looks a little on the pale side..."

"Get your hands off him!" Kratos commanded, his wings flaring to life on his back. He did not make a move at this moment. His mind was in defense at the moment as he was not nearly in neither the position nor the strength to make an offensive move. "Fight me instead!"

"But he just looks so helpless..." Warren muttered, a wicked smirk coming across his expression. He half-glanced at Kratos again. "It would be so easy..." A small dagger appeared in his hand, and it was immediately pressed against Lloyd's throat. "Are you just going to let me kill you, Lloyd Irving?" He inquired of the lifeless body. Lloyd, of course, did not make a move, nor did his blank expression change. "He seems a little out of it, ne Kratos? Did something happen to our little friend here? I mean he's not putting up a fight. But it just seems too easy. There has to be a catch... being able to kill him this simply..."

"Like hell you will!" All the remaining strength in Kratos' weakened legs was used in propulsion as he slammed his shoulder into Warren's chest. His wings began flapping madly, adding to the momentum and Warren was successfully flipped back over the landing. "You won't harm my son any more than you already have!"

"How touching..." Warren muttered. "But I can tell you're slightly weakened. Someone of your body build should be able to push me over that rock with your weight. But your legs weren't adequate enough to facilitate a tackle like that... which is why you used your wings. Not to mention the apparent problem with your son... whatever the hell that is."

"None of your damn business," Kratos shot back.

"Either way... I can easily deal with you now. I'll take you out first, and your son will obviously be easy pickings afterwards," Warren muttered.

A sword appeared at Kratos' side and a rather drunk-looking Zelos took a position behind it. The bump at the back of his head was not serious, but enough to draw blood and cause quite a bit of disorientation. "We're not letting you get near Lloyd, you bastard."

"How eloquent, Sir," Warren chuckled. "But to be honest, you are hardly in the..." he trailed off as a red aura seemed to envelop the area before him. He glanced upward, seeing that the red was not an aura, but a wall. On one side stood himself, Letto, and Farith. On the other... were all of the objects of his hunt. He glanced around. "What the hell is this?" he demanded. His eyes landed on an elderly man who stood about twenty feet away, his hand held to the ground and the shield sprouting from it. He glanced to Kratos. "Angel! Miss Sage! Run!"

"Dr. Surah!" Zelos cried. "What are you doing? Get the hell away from here!"

Surah smirked. "No thanks, Mr. Wilder." He held up a hand and within was a large folder sealed in a plastic wrap. "I have something for you." With a grunt it was thrown foreword, skidding to a halt at Zelos' feet.

Zelos waved his arm. "This is pointless, Surah! You have no reason to protect us!"

Warren looked over at the kneeling man. "Who the hell is he?" he inquired bluntly.

"Damnit, just go! I'll hold them off for a while!" Surah commanded. He smirked. "This is the least you deserve from people like me. You... Miss Sage... that the boy as well." His gaze fell on Genis.

Genis paused for a moment before his sister pulled him away. Such sayings could be pondered later. Right now, they needed to stay alive.

Regal grabbed Zelos' arm as he raised an eyebrow at the man's comment. "Come on, Zelos! We've done enough damage. We need to get out of here before Warren decides to take out our protection. Kratos can't handle any more and we can't risk them finding out more about Lloyd."

Zelos turned. "Wait! What about Lloyd?" Raine pointed to where the unnoticed Colette was pulling his limp form away. Zelos smiled. "Nice work my little Angel," he muttered, scooping the folder of information into his arms. Kratos turned and headed after them in an instant while Regal knelt and picked up the unconscious Sheena, following them to the rehairds. Warren slammed his hand against the barrier as they loaded up and headed off.

"Damn... so close..."

Farith tapped him on the shoulder and pointed at Surah. "What shall we do with the half-elf?"

"Leave him be." He waved his hand, then used it to poke his chin. "Let them go for now. We now have some information... something has happened to the younger angel. He seems unable to move. Plus... we need to revise our strategy. They seem to have picked up on a few things and they did better in that fight than they did in the first one. Fast learners... I suppose I should expect nothing less than the ones who beat Yggdrasil..."

"Will it be a problem?" Letto inquired monotonely.

Warren shrugged. "Troublesome at the very least. But let's get to work. We need to find out where they are headed next..." He turned toward Surah, took a few steps in his direction, and knelt to the ground. "Now... Dr. Surah, was it?" Surah didn't answer as the barrier vanished. "It seems you gave them some information, didn't you...? Where exactly does that information indicate they go?" Surah stared at him, not yielding so much as a turn of the lips. Warren sighed and stood. "Why must we always do things the hard way? Letto... see to him." With that, the large man turned away, and the shorter one took his place.

_To be continued..._

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Bijin: Yeah... like I said... introducing a new character is a bit tough... especially when you see the first bit of his motivation in an unexplained battle issue... XD Anyway... hope you enjoyed teh uber long battle sequence and look foreward to the next chapter. See you soon! 

**Next Chapter: The Next Step**


	22. The Next Step

Bijin: Woot! Finally! I've been kind of excited about posting this chapter. I really enjoyed writing it. So... yeah. XD Hope you guys don't mind the wait. But anyway... I got a lot of little ligistics figured out while writing these chapters, so hopefully writing the next few chapters will be a bit smoother than they have been. Basically I had a bunch of little details I had sorted out in my mind, but as I wrote more and got more little details into my brain, they started to get a little hard to retain, so I drew up some stuff and wrote some stuff down. XD Anyway... review responses. More than usual.

Jana-Yggdrasil: Glad it's keeping you interested. I find stuff like this to be overall quite de-stressing. Writing them and reading them. Stuff like that.

Lloyd-forever: Yeah... I do screw them over a lot... I know. XD It's not intentional, really. When I came up with the idea, I tried to make things as realistic as possible. Cause if you think about it... if real people were in this hairy of a situation, they really have everything working against them.

Maxmagnus20019: Thanks. Hope you enjoy this next chapter.

RowenaRaven: Bijin dumps Kudos and Popularity upon Amazing! I absolutely adore the way you drew Genis. He looks awesome.

George Lennon: Well, my mom's doing a lot better. She got the cast off completely and was given weight-bearing as tolerated. She now walks without a cane for the most part. She gets tired pretty easily, but it's a complete miracle how fast she has healed.

Catwarrior: Heee... lots of suspense and such. They have the folder in their fingers. Does that count?

Alaia Skyhawk: Well, chapter's finally here.

Yokura: Thanks. It took a lokng time to plan out and such and my sister actually has helped me out with some of the smaller details. I'm really happy with how it's come out thusfar.

Amanda Kelly: Pretty much that's what I aim for when I write this kind of thing. I want it to seem as if it fits right into the storyline and such. Very believable and such.

Nyan Nyan 942: Ooh. Don't hurt yourself. Staring at the compy for that long is bad fo yooo... but I'm glad you're liking it that much.

So... that's about it. Oh! Be sure you visit RowenaRaven's deviantart and such! She's an amazing artist! And I'm uberly excited that she is doing this!

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**Chapter 22: The Next Step**

"That old geezer..." Zelos muttered, plopping onto the ground as Kratos set Lloyd up against a tree. "Why the hell did he do that? It wasn't even his problem."

"Perhaps not, but..." Presea looked down. "As I've seen in Altamira... people have come to admire and even idolize the non-angel members of our group as heroes who saved the world. It could've simply been his admiration."

"Or stupidity," Zelos shot back, tossing the folder onto the ground. "Stupid old man. He'd better be alive."

"Were you close to him, Zelos?" Colette inquired, sitting nearby.

"Hell no. Met him the same time you did. I mean... I recognize his name from somewhere I can't place at the moment, but seeing someone stick their neck out for me just pisses me off," Zelos muttered.

"Well... I understand him knowing Zelos' name, considering he works for the government... but why does he know Raine and my name?" Genis inquired.

"Have you met him before perhaps?" Regal suggested.

"Nope. I've never really met with anyone from the Tethe'allan government. Well... no researchers." Raine shook her head.

"What about his comment? People like him?" Presea continued.

"Just deal with it..." Kratos insisted. "But I also hope he is alright..."

"If you're regretting it, why did you pull me away and leave him with those three bastards?" Zelos turned on him and growled

"Because it was what he wanted," Kratos answered. "Would you have felt any better if you had wasted his efforts to save us?" Zelos fell silent. "In madness like that, it's hard to determine what you would regret least. So you must go with what makes sense. For whatever reason, Surah wanted to help us." He fiddled slightly with Lloyd's position. "That's enough for me..."

"Anyway... what kind of information did Surah give us?" Presea pushed the issue foreword as she sensed that perhaps Zelos was about to go off on the angel. It would've probably been best if she moved the next topic into position as to prevent any such conflicts. She glanced to the folder that Raine now held. She tore open the plastic and quickly shifted through the many papers.

She shrugged. "Mostly daily logs and such. It'll take a while to sort through those."

"Maybe we won't have to," Zelos countered, taking a small stack of papers from her. "There are daily logs for examination by the higher-ups, but if anything significant happened on any given day, there was a report filed separate from the logs. Meaning the logs aren't what we're looking for. They were mainly used if court cases came up and they needed specific little details. Are there any other papers in there?" he inquired, pressing the logs into Regal's freed hands. He glanced at them, then set them aside. Zelos grabbed the next stack of papers and began sifting through them. "Lists of people on the team... Here's that Gray guy... Dr. Surah..." He paused as his eyes found the profile picture for the half elf. A newspaper clipping flashed past his mind, though the heading of it eluded him, and something in the back of his mind told him that whatever memory the man was in, it wasn't a pleasant one. He shook his head, and continued through the reports. He shook his head, then moved on to the next group of clippings. "Here are the daily logs..." He ran his finger along the sheet, then pointed at one specific entry. "Seems the most recent sighting was just two days ago. A research team at Mount Suru saw the Phoenix two days ago, but it was heading west, not east."

"Where's Mount Suru?" Colette inquired, looking up from where she was tending to Lloyd.

"It's north of where the Sylvarant Tower of Salvation used to stand. In other words, it's northwest from where Presea and I saw it the first time," Regal answered immediately.

"Is it possible you guys were mistaken in the direction it was heading?" Raine suggested softly.

Regal raised an eyebrow. "Highly unlikely. You know how I am with directions. My company deals in geographic issues. I know what direction is which."

"Which is entirely possible. We're talking about a living bird, here," Kratos put in. "It could've just changed directions."

Zelos nodded. "And considering we don't know its destination on either account, it's impossible to tell where its home is. It could've been heading away from home the first time and is heading home now, or vise-versa."

"Well, what active volcanoes are west of Mount Suru?" Genis shrugged slightly, hoping this would narrow the search.

"Asking that won't really get us anywhere. Technically, if you headed went of Mount Suru, you'd be able to pass all of the active volcanoes on the Neo World. So west is about as vague of a direction as you can get." Regal scoffed and began sifting through a few of the discarded files from the folder.

"So our search isn't narrowed at all?" Sheena inquired quietly.

"Hey Sheena..." Colette began. The dark-haired ninja glanced toward her. "Doesn't Mizuho have enough contacts to find out just about anything? Couldn't we use that at all?"

Zelos smirked. "That's actually a pretty good idea."

Sheena shook her head. "Sorry, but no. After the worlds were reunited a lot of the information we had was no longer valid. Mostly because the government and the landscape was changed so drastically. We still have a powerful information network, but not nearly as powerful as it was. And I highly doubt we'd have any information regarding a Phoenix."

"Speaking of which... Sheena... I have an interesting question..." Regal began, puling out a certain photo from the files. "Why is there a picture of Aska in the folder?"

Sheena paused for a long moment, looking at the glossy paper that Regal held up. It certainly was Aska, no matter how dulled and blurred the picture was. She raised an eyebrow. "I... I don't know. I would assume they mistook Aska for a Phoenix but... why would Surah include that picture in here if the picture itself was a mistake? Someone like him who was studying it would certainly know that it wasn't a Phoenix."

"Let's keep that for now. It may come in handy. After all, Aska is classified in the same genus as Phoenixes. Even though Aska is not a fiery beast, it is in fact a mythological bird with a base elemental power," Raine muttered distractedly. "But right now, we need to decide our next move. We don't know where to start looking." She glanced up to Regal, regarding him with pale blue eyes. "Is Mt. Suru active?" Regal nodded.

"Yeah. The years between it's last eruption and now are longer than any other active volcano, but it is still considered active," Regal explained.

"So Mt. Suru is our next stop, right?" Genis suggested.

"I would suspect, but... what about Dr. Surah. Are we really going to abandon him?" Colette inquired fearfully. "And what are we going to do about Warren? He knows about Lloyd and Kratos now."

Sheena put a hand on Colette's shoulder. "Colette... knowing Warren, Dr. Surah will most likely be dead before we can get to him. I doubt Warren is going to let him live for long." Colette simply stared at her.

"As for Kratos and Lloyd, I doubt it'll be a problem. By the time Warren catches up to us again, Kratos will be well enough to fight and they really don't know the extend of the damage to Lloyd," Raine explained. "Though we need to be more cautious. We need to come up with some sort of plan to keep Lloyd safe when they next catch up to us. Cause I have no doubt they will."

Kratos nodded. "Indeed. Now that Warren knows that Lloyd is vulnerable, there's no reason for him to stop his pursuit. In fact, there's all the more reason to come at us with renewed vigor."

"We need to think like Warren thinks," Zelos added. "If we do, we might be able to figure out what he's going to do next, and perhaps plan ahead."

"Well, they have Dr. Surah. And if they take him prisoner, there is no doubt that they are going to try and get him to give them they contents of this." Raine held up the folder. "If they could get it, they could be able to predict our next move."

"The question is, will Dr. Surah talk?" Genis inquired of no one in particular. The question was asked of the entire group, for no one person could be sure of the answer. After all, had they not just met the man that very day? Silence fell over them like a blanket. After all, if they could not accurately decide their next move, it would leave the one they aimed to save vulnerable to attack.

"My personal answer is no."

All eyes were instantly on Zelos.

He continued. "I don't think he'll talk." He was given questioning looks from all around. "After all... the old man gave himself to them willingly so we could get away with this information. Why would he then turn around and give that same information to them? It's too contradictory."

"True, but we have no idea how sincere his desire to protect us was. We don't know how well we can trust him," Kratos cut in, putting a hand to his chin.

Zelos waved an arm at him. "Listen, Papi... if someone risks their life for me, they've earned my trust. I dunno about you."

"Remember, Zelos, both you and I were willing to risk our lives for the group here and all the while we were working for Cruxis. Risking ones life says little about loyalty in these days," Kratos argued.

"Yeah, but if you'll recall, we both also were willing to do that because we grew to love this group. So even then, risking our lives was not necessarily an act of luring them into a false sense of security, but out of a growing affection." He leaned back. "We don't know Dr. Surah at all, meaning he most likely had a genuine concern."

"Also remember, Zelos... that he knew Raine and Genis for some reason. There is something connected to that man more than we know. Until I know his story, I'm not too keen to trust him." Kratos leaned against the wall and crossed his arms.

Zelos scoffed and turned his nose up.

"Well... that got us nowhere..." Sheena announced. "We still don't know where to head next."

Raine looked to Sheena, then around to the group, lingering for a moment on Kratos, then finally returning to Regal. "I suggest we go ahead and head to Mt. Suru. It seems that Suru is our biggest lead right now. We don't have anything else to go on." She stood and looked to Kratos. "I understand your concern and I would like you to trust me with coming up with a plan to protect Lloyd before tomorrow morning. I would like us to be ready in case they meet us at Mt. Suru."

Kratos sighed and looked to his son. "Fine. I'll go along with it, but I will also help in formulating that plan of yours." He smirked. "I finally have my son back and I'll be damned if I let someone else protect him."

* * *

The pale-haired man was tossed roughly against a small tree, one of the roots drawing a grunt from his throat as it aggravated his spine. He attempted to sit up straight, though thick ropes bound his arms to his sides and a few more used to lock his ankles together made it difficult. "Have a seat, Doctor..." Letto muttered smirking, having been the one who did the tossing. He wandered away toward where Farith was fiddling with a fire and Warren took Letto's place in front of Surah. 

Warren sighed. "You know, perhaps we would be a bit more hospitable if you were a little more cooperative," he offered.

Surah chuckled. "If you knew anything about me, perhaps you would know that what hospitality you offer is of little consequence to me."

"Know anything about you?" Warren repeated, a chuckle behind his voice. "Oh Doctor, you underestimate me. You think I wouldn't recognize one of my own?" Surah shook his head. "Dr. Anthony Surah, formerly Mr. Surah Wright, known throughout Tethe'alla as one of its most infamous killers. But like me, you were rather specific about your victims, now weren't you?"

"You speak of a man whose life is over. What connection have I to one such as him?" Surah argued. "Even if at one point he and I shared views, I am no longer that man. I am a doctor in the employ of the government."

Warren's face dropped. "Weather or not you still have the same views as you once did is not in question. My issue with you is that you were at one point like me. So why is it that you now hinder me in my quest to complete the very mission that you once set yourself to?"

"Because I no longer believe in that mission. The very group you now pursue taught me that much and I will have nothing to do with stopping them."

Warren sighed and fetched a small folding chair from the side, leaning back in it and making himself comfortable. "I see... or perhaps... Perhaps your acts are not as much an act of thanks, but an act of atonement?" Surah's dark eyes narrowed dangerously. "I know about your connection to the two half-elves. Not to mention to the red-haired angel, and even distantly to the Wilder man." Surah growled, but commented on none of it. "You have information on where they are going, and you're going to tell me. I know they're looking for the Phoenix. It's only a matter of time before we figure out where they're headed anyway, so why don't you save us the trouble and tell us now?" Surah remained disconcertingly calm, his lips drawn tightly together and angled in a straight line, his eyes displaying nothing but calm resilience. Warren sighed and stood, bringing his fist across the doctor's temple and rendering him instantly unconscious.

The large form of their leader draw close to the small fire Letto and Farith had created, setting the chair down and plopping into it. "Old geezer won't talk?" Letto supposed. Warren shook his head.

"We can easily hack into the mainframe computer to find that folder, but it could take a few days to do. By then they will have visited the next volcano and moved on. If we don't find out where they're headed, we're going to put ourselves in a rut three steps behind them," Letto growled.

"I wouldn't worry about it," Farith cut in calmly, his voice lax and quiet as usual. "There are only a few within that group that are deceptively unpredictable... the Professor and the red-haired angel. The others are fairly easy to follow. If we think hard enough, we should be able to predict their next move."

Warren nodded. "Farith brings up a good point." He put a finger to his chin. "Letto, the map."

Letto paused for a moment, long enough to growl at Warren for his curt demand, but obeyed and set a small cube on the ground. Above it shot a small translucent map of the Neo World. Warren hummed quietly in thought and the poked the small hologram several times. "These are the seven active volcanoes in the Neo World. According to the database in Meltokio, they should be looking for the active volcanoes since obviously the bird lives in them. But considering the fact that the whelps are running around to different volcanoes, we can suppose that the Phoenix is moving."

"Then they are searching for the Phoenix's home," Letto concluded.

"Indeed. And considering how much access we have to the mainframe in Meltokio, being dubbed as field agents for the government... I'd guess we probably know more about the Phoenix than they do. I doubt the Wilder boy ever really went into Phoenix research since his jurisdiction is Magitechnology."

"Alright... so let's state everything we know about Phoenixes." Letto leaned back in his chair and looked to the skies. "Phoenixes are an elemental creature that is not recognized as a summon spirit, but is classed in the same genus as one, much like the unicorn, the mythological creature representing water. Other examples are the seven-limbed dragon for earth and the legendary six-limbed beast for Shadow."

Farith nodded. "Phoenixes make their homes in active volcanoes, burying their nests deep in the core of the volcano in what is known as the lava pool. It is suspected that eruptions are caused by the shifting nests of Phoenixes triggering an explosion, though this theory has never been successfully proven."

Warren closed his eyes and continued. "While being a large bird, Phoenixes have oddly short wings, spanning only about fifteen feet from tip to tip while its size would normally require a twenty-five foot span at the very least. And thus, they circulate mana through their bodies and excrete it through pores in the backs of their wings and from their feet, causing a reaction with the mana in the air and keeping them afloat. This makes them easy to track using a basic mana tracker, which... oddly enough we don't have."

Letto patted his belt. "We have them, but they only react to angelic mana."

"Either way, despite being easy to track, scientists have only been able to study Phoenix corpses as every time we get close to a living one, the Phoenix takes refuge in a volcano magma pool and escapes some time later, avoiding any contact. So basically... everything we know is only theory as we haven't been able to actually study the habits of a living one."

Letto waved his hand. "Technicalities. Remember, the group is also going based on theories and based on even fewer theories than we have." He sat up and pointed to each volcano as he pointed to it. "They started here, at Mt. Arichi, dormant volcano. The nearest active volcano to Mt. Arichi is Mt. Rhirt, in the mountain range west of the Earth Temple, gnome's domain. Would they go there?"

"I doubt it..." Warren muttered. The other two looked up at him. "Remember, they are attempting to discover our next move as well. Meaning they'll expect us to know if they are going to the nearest volcano or not. Plus, they have information in that folder. That folder is most likely some form of information on Phoenix study. And it's pretty obvious that the Phoenix isn't going to be at Rhirt. After all, that's dragon territory. Dragons in service to Gnome wouldn't tolerate a fire bird there."

Letto's eyes narrowed, but he moved on. "There are three other active volcanoes in the Tethe'alla region of the Neo World... Mt. Volley, which is east of where the Toize Valley Mine used to be... Mt. Leesa, west of the new Ozette built a few months ago... and Mt. Jira, an island north of Rhirt. Do you think they'll go to any of those?"

"Hard to say. Where are the active volcanoes in the Sylvarant region?"

"Mt. Chira, which is to the west of the Linkite Tree... Mt. Suru, which is north of the Tower of Salvation, and Mt. Palman, northeast of Palmacoasta," Letto pointed at each.

Farith suddenly held out a hand. "Wait..." He poked his finger against the map. "I think I know where the Phoenix's nest is..."

Warren studied Farith's indication for a moment, mulling the information over in his head. "That makes sense."

"Then we know where they're headed," Letto smirked.

Warren leaned back. "Indeed." He put a finger to his chin. "But... we know for a fact that the group in search of the Phoenix doesn't know or they would be headed there right now. Meaning, they must have some sort of plan."

"Knowing Wilder and his contacts, he'll most likely have ordered a mana tracker to try and track the Phoenix manually. But in the meantime, they're trying to find out information about the Phoenix," Letto supposed.

"Right. Their running around will only work to our advantage. We know where the Phoenix is, but they have no idea at the moment. We can attack them at each volcano they go to. If we can accurately anticipate their movements, we can catch up to them at any time and engage them." Warren smirked.

"There is more to discuss however, sir..." Farith muttered. "The two angels, for one."

Warren raised an eyebrow for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah... we need to figure out why the Irving boy was incapacitated like that. I don't know if it was an angelic trick or what, but..."

"You said that he didn't move, even when he looked at you..." Letto muttered. Warren nodded.

"When I found him, he looked like he was asleep. He was just... lying there... pale and still as death. But when I picked him up... he opened his eyes and looked at me. But... still... he seemed as if he was dead... but not," Warren explained slowly.

"Well... whatever's wrong with him, it can't really be harmful to us. After all, if he can't move, he can't fight. For whatever reason, Lloyd Irving has been incapacitated, and while we may not know why, we need to use this opportunity to strike at them. Lloyd is most likely the most powerful of their group at the moment. He has spent the last few years fighting people for their exspheres and running from angel hunters. His skills have grown tremendously while the others' have mostly stayed the same. I know the half-elves have grown a bit, but their skills haven't been stressed like Irving's have," Letto hypothesized. "Letting this chance go without attempting to take advantage of their weakness would be simple foolishness."

"I suppose. And plus, with them hopping from mountain to mountain we should be able to find out more about Lloyd's condition."

"Indeed, Farith..." Warren smiled. "And there is one more matter we must discuss... It seems that our friends have gotten a little better than before. They've been studying how we each fight, meaning they aren't as ignorant as we first thought. So just as they have brought their game up to the next level... so must we."

_To be continued..._

* * *

Bijin: Whew. That took a while. I really wanted to communicate that Warren and his guys don't exactly LOOk like the brightest crayons in the box, they are pretty genius. XD Anyway.. hope you liked it and I'll see you soon! Review please! 

**Next Chapter: Mt. Suru**


	23. Mt Suru

Bijin: Man I really whooped my own ass to get this chapter up. I really enjoyed writing it. Hope you guys enjoy reading it. Alright... not a lot to say here... just review responses.

George Lennon: Well... um... here's what's next! XD

Catwarrior: Mt. Suru indeed. And I think everyone's waiting for Lloyd with you. XD

Yokura: Kidnapping, eh? Well... you'll just have to wait and see. XD This story is not completely written, but it is completely planned out. If he gets kidnapped, it's set in stone. I'm not saying he does, though...

Rowena Raven: Oooooh... time for braniac Teacher and Angel! They do do a lot of explaining in this story, don't they? gigglefit

Jana Yggdrasil: How did they figure it out? Oooh... if you knew something they knew, you'd figure it out too! XD And we can't have that now, can we?

Nyan Nyan 942: Yay! I wear glasses too!

Maxmagnus20019: Thanks!

Alaia Skyhawk: Indeed... could be very bad. Very bad indeed...

Alright! Chapter time!

* * *

**Chapter 23: Mt. Suru**

"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!"

Kratos sat up with a start as the scream echoed in the woods around him, the morning sunlight just barely inching over the horizon at the moment, indicating early morning. His eyes went first to Lloyd's form, which sat limply against the tree as he had left it.

_Don't look at me._

Kratos rolled his eyes at Origin's speech. The summon spirit rarely talked these days. Mostly just to Kratos and when no one else was around. After all, one who is confined to a vessel as he was often had little to talk about.

He stood, and glanced about the campsite, and the problem was easily spotted. Sheena stood, cheeks aflame and clothing mussed as she had apparently just jumped from her sleeping bag. In one hand was held three of her guardian cards, while the other held a frying pan from Raine's cooking sack. Unsurprisingly, Zelos lay on the ground beneath her hand, a card on his face and a large red mark forming on his cheeks. Kratos sighed. No doubt Zelos and the frying pan had had some sort of intimate connection mere moments before.

"Pervert!" Sheena shouted, stuffing her cards into her belt, tossing the frying pan onto the ground and beginning to fix up her slept-in clothes. "I can't believe you! We're staying in an inn tonight in separate rooms!"

"But Sheena, it was an accident!" Zelos protested, standing and attempting to pull the card from his face. It didn't budge. "I just... fell!"

Kratos sighed. "Zelos... don't even try."

The redhead jumped at Kratos' speech, then blushed and growled. "Stay out of this, Papi! I was heading for the ocean over there. I wasn't trying to fall on her!"

"Look... nothing you can say is going to make any difference and you've now woken me up. So unless you want me to clobber you with that frying pan, I suggest you apologize."

Zelos scoffed and headed past Sheena toward the ocean once again. "Oh, leave me alone! I didn't do anything wrong!"

Sheena sighed as she retied her obi. She glanced to Kratos, then to Zelos, her face turning red again. Kratos raised an eyebrow at her for a moment before plopping down to sit and placing his hands behind him for support. "You know... when I courted Anna... I believe there were less frying pans involved."

Sheena tossed the weapon away and growled. "Oh give me a break! Zelos is not courting me!"

Kratos chuckled. "You think so?"

Sheena said nothing more, her face giving one more shade change before stomping off. Kratos sighed. "I really feel like an old man saying this but... young love is getting more and more violent these days."

"You have to admit, they make a good alarm clock," Raine muttered wandering over, a certain black pan in her hand.

"I think I'll stick with the sun in my eyes," Genis groaned, rolling over in his sleeping bag. Raine smirked and shoved her foot against his side.

"Come on, Genis. Up and at 'em." She chuckled as he moaned again, pushing back the covers and giving her a rather bleary and pouty look.

"Morning everyone!" Colette cried excitedly.

Kratos blinked at her. "Do you ever sleep?" Colette paused for a moment. "Every time I get up you're always awake." Colette shrugged.

"Morning," Regal garbled, wandering over, clicking his cuffs around his wrists. Presea was half a step behind him, sitting as well.

"So... off to Mt. Suru, eh?" Colette supposed, kneeling next to where Kratos lit a fire. Nearby, Raine continued to pester her younger brother in an effort to work him out of bed.

Kratos nodded. "Yeah. We should head off as soon as breakfast is over. We should keep on the move as much as possible. We wouldn't want Warren to catch us unguarded like this."

"Indeed." Raine nodded. She handed out a few slices of bread for beginners and stepped aside to allow Regal to begin cooking. Once they began to eat, Kratos glanced around, noting the absence of the other redhead.

"Zelos still gone?" he inquired. He looked to where Sheena had joined them mere moments before and shrugged.

"I'm sure he's fine. Leave him with his perverted thoughts." She scoffed and turned her nose up looking distractedly to her food, her eyes glazed in thought.

Kratos sighed. _Kids these days..._ He stood and headed off to the side. "I'll go find him."

Raine raised an eyebrow. "Kratos, you're still a little weak from the beam's drain. You need the nourishment of meals. Will you eat?"

Kratos chuckled and waved a hand at her. "Don't worry about me. I'm fine. My body has recovered and you have no idea how little I normally eat. When I was on Derris-Kharlan, I only ate about once a week, and sometimes even less, depending on how hungry I was." Without another word he headed off, disappearing into the brush and a few moments later, Zelos' name could be heard in shouts.

Raine looked down, a sigh escaping her lips. Genis, now rather awoken, glanced up at her from his food. "You alright Raine?"

Raine paused. "He's been eating less and less lately... he's taking this thing with Lloyd so hard."

Regal nodded. "I noticed that as well. He doesn't eat or sleep much these days."

Raine looked up to Lloyd. "You'd better be ready to come back Lloyd. There are so many people who need you here..." she whispered.

* * *

It was a while before Kratos could spot another red head along the meager beach. Though the sand reached high enough, vegetation had eaten away at the shore and left only several feet to be covered by sand. Zelos' slender frame was nestled by the water's edge, allowing it to lap at his bare feet. His position tensed as Kratos came behind him. "You're missing breakfast." 

"Eh..." Zelos shrugged. "No biggie. Not really all that hungry."

Kratos chuckled, repositioning Silver Fang and sitting next to him. "Not for food anyway."

Deep crimson shot across Zelos cheeks and he turned on Kratos. "Will you shut up about that?"

Kratos shrugged. "You can deny it all you want. But I've been in your shoes before, in love with someone you think hates you... I know what it looks like." His brow furrowed. "Save I didn't have an infatuation with flirting."

Zelos scoffed. "Therefore... not the same shoes."

Kratos placed a hand on Zelos' head. "Oh don't give me that." His hand fell to his side. "So... you wanna tell me what you were doing this morning?"

Zelos paused for a long moment then scoffed. "Why do you want to know?"

A faint laugh slipped from Kratos' throat. "Well... I believe you just a little bit that you fell. You are a flirt, but the most you would do to a sleeping woman would be to get in their face just as they wake up." He motioned to him. "So... what happened?"

Zelos chuckled. "Being honest for once..." he muttered. "Well... the King is hosting a ball in a few weeks, formal deal in honor of one of the new programs just launched. It's mainly just an excuse for the aristocrats to see girls in dresses that show desired cleavage, but dancing is fun and stuff. Course it doesn't matter what I think either way. My attendance is required." He looked toward the horizon, attempting to keep his eyes away from Kratos' face. "And I wanted to ask Sheena to be my date. But..." He leaned back, intertwining his hands behind his head and allowing his back to contact the sand beneath him. "But for some reason, I can never really get my act together when I'm around her. Any other girl, I could just mosey on up to and ask her outright. But I can't with Sheena. My legs turn to spaghetti and I just... toppled right over."

Kratos raised an eyebrow at him. "And... You've never toppled over before because..."

Zelos paused before sitting up and giving Kratos some of the most energetic and pleading eyes he had ever seen. "I've never tried to wake her up before! And she rolled over just as I was about to wake her up and she just looked so damn cute! Her eyes were so pretty even when closed and her lips did this little thing where they closed a little then relaxed..." He demonstrated the girl's position by lying back, throwing one arm over his head and leaving one to rest on his stomach. "And she was lying down like this and all the cloth was bundled up around her like she was a frikkin angel... " He sat up and his voice was raised enough that Kratos worried that the subject of such a description might hear them. "And she was so damn cute I couldn't stand it!"

Kratos' position backed up several inches from where Zelos was sitting and an awkward pause ensued. "And that's why I fell over this morning." His voice had lowered and he seemed to have calmed down.

Kratos allowed the silence to continue for a few moments longer before he let out a laugh that made Zelos jump. Never before in his life had he heard Kratos laugh this loud, though compared to Zelos' most frequent outburst, Kratos' laughing was rather quiet. Not to mention that most of the laughs he remembered coming from Kratos had some measure of malice or anger in them, but this laugh was coming from pure joy, which set Zelos off just a bit, his face turning red again and a frown creased his forehead. "What the hell's wrong with you?" he demanded.

Kratos' body doubled over just a little as he attempted to control his laughter. "I'm sorry Zelos, but that is so funny..."

"What is?!" Zelos shot back.

"The fact that you nearly fainted at the sight of Sheena sleeping!" he cried, his laughter dying down and his finger dabbing a tear from the outside of his eye.

"Well, I'm glad you find it funny." A pause. "Bastard."

Kratos chuckled again. "Well it's not just that. I understand the idea of making it romantic by asking her right after she's woken up and before anyone else is awake, but think about Sheena for a moment. With the kind of person that she is, would she really appreciate an atmosphere like that?" Zelos shrugged. "Come on Zelos. If you really want to show her you care, do something that a person like her can appreciate."

Zelos stared at him for a long moment, then turned away and placed his elbow on his knee, his chin resting in his hand. "Great. Flirt-man extraordinaire is getting love advice from Emotionally Detached Angel-man."

Kratos stood. "Perhaps. But remember... Emotionally Detached Angel-man had a wife and has a son as well while Flirt-man Extraordinaire has probably never had a serious girlfriend."

Zelos paused as Kratos turned away and headed back for the camp. "Oh shut your face!"

Kratos returned to the camp laughing once again.

"You seem to be in a good mood today." Raine gave a smile at Kratos' laughter.

"Zelos is an interesting character." This was all Kratos offered as an explanation.

Sheena raised an eyebrow, her anger gone and genuine distasteful curiosity in her voice. "Yeah... and _that's_ an interesting way of putting it."

Kratos shrugged, still denying the food that Raine pushed at him. "You've eaten all of yours and yet you're skinny as a blade. Why don't you eat mine?" Raine sighed and set it down as Kratos looked away slightly. "Raine... can I talk to you for a moment?" he inquired softly. Raine raised an eyebrow at him, but followed him away from the camp. A few moments later, Raine popped back into view and summoned Colette off to the side. Genis, Regal, Sheena, and Presea exchanged a look, but the shrugged and began packing up their things, gradually putting their sleeping bags up and gathering all their supplies to be stored in the rheairds storage compartments.

"You know..." Sheena muttered suddenly. "This whole issue... it seems familiar... like we've dealt with it once before."

"You mean the thing with Lloyd?" Genis inquired, tossing a few paper utensils into the dying fire. It flared to life long enough to banish the garbage, then died back down again. Genis doused it with a little bit of magically appearing water, then stood again.

"Yeah." Sheena nodded.

"Well, to some degree we have," Genis muttered, locking Kratos' and his own sleeping bags into his rheaird's compartment. He moved on to the cooking supplies and began to stuff them into Raine's. "When Colette gave up her human life to regenerate the world... she was like this."

"Oh yeah... she had her soul taken as well." She paused. "But wait... if the situations were the same, why is it that Lloyd is like this? Colette could move, defend herself... everything."

"Raine and I were discussing that very thing a few nights ago," Genis muttered. "We figure that in essence, Colette's soul wasn't really taken. It was just subdued. It was subdued and put into something of a trance, forcing it to believe that its only purpose was self-preservation. Meaning she would fight, walk, and take care of herself all on her own. The very fact that she could move proved that her soul was still inside her body. But Lloyd's body has been completely stripped of the soul, leaving nothing to move the body."

"So they're only similar..." Sheena sighed. "But it still has to be painful." She hung her head and put her hands to her temples. "I don't think I'll ever be able to forget the sound of his scream when that beam started firing. You all sounded awful at that moment... but there was something about Lloyd's that was... pure agony."

Regal nodded. "He put on a brave front for us all, hiding behind his mask of anger, claiming he hated so many things. But he still loved the world he lives in. Loved it enough to put himself through that."

Sheena gave a smile. "I suppose." Regal's words allowed just a small amount of comfort to wash over her. Since the incident in her village those years back, her view of Lloyd had plummeted, making him almost seem like a beast. Unpredictable and dangerous. But this trait... this selfless and sacrificial streak that seemed to plague him... it linked the Lloyd that lay against the tree now and the Lloyd she had known on the Regeneration journey, forming a bridge among his change. She wandered over, kneeling before Lloyd and placing a hand to the side of his face. _I promise I'll help get you back. The world needs people who love this place like you do. Not to mention the nine of us need you so much. We're all going to hell if we let you slip away..._

Sheena jumped as a hand suddenly placed itself on her shoulder. "Aww... Sheena's in love," chuckled a taunting voice. Sheena slapped the hand away and stood to come face to face with the grin of one Zelos Wilder.

Genis wrinkled his nose. _Look who's talking..._

"Ah!" Sheena shouted, shoving him away. "Baka miko! Stop that!"

"Aww, come on. You're so cute when you freak out like that!" he argued, crossing an arm over her back and pulling her close.

_Maybe he'd have better luck with her if he'd compliment her seriously instead of turning every one he comes up with into a come-on._ Genis rolled his eyes and turned back to stocking the rheairds.

Sheena growled. "Urgh!" Her face still flushed a deep red. Her hand came across his face, her foot stomping into the ground briefly. "You are impossible!" She wandered off to her rheaird, leaving Zelos to stand still, as if he was in shock. Genis paused as she passed.

"Wasn't that a little over the top...?"

Sheena's eyes effectively shut him up and he turned his attention to where Presea was approaching the frozen former chosen. "Zelos... are you alright?"

Zelos took a breath then laughed aloud, hands folding upon hips and a smile spreading across his face. "Oh you know Sheena. She gets worked over this stuff." Turning, he wandered over to his rheaird and boarded. "Where are the others? We gotta go! No sense in wasting time here." He glanced around as the others paused for a brief moment before heading to finish packing. "Hey! Angel, Papi, your highness! Let's go!"

"We're coming, we're coming," Raine muttered coming out of the bushes, dusting herself off. "I swear... looking after you is like looking after a child."

"At least he's not lolly-gagging," Kratos chuckled, his wings flaring to life on his back.

"Alright... time to head to Mt. Suru! Let's go!" Colette cried, jumping onto her vehicle as well.

Regal sighed, a smile coming over his face as he secured Lloyd to the back of his rheaird and then climbed on himself. "Let's hurry. We need to make this stop quick."

* * *

Kratos slowly made his way into the front tent of the research site, his body walking rather upright considering the limp form on his back. "So what do they study here?" Zelos inquired. 

"Magma composition, Mr. Wilder." The group jumped as a young human man entered, swishing a few long brown locks out of his face. "We're studying the composition of the magma here to see if it has any beneficial properties. After all... this volcanic soil is amazingly fertile, even according to normal volcanic standards." He raised an eyebrow. "And to what do I owe this visit? When I was told the King's right-hand man was here to visit, I didn't quite believe it."

"Well, here I am, in all my glory," Zelos announced, spreading his arms wide. He then crossed them and leaned foreword. "My friends and I have a need to research the location of a Phoenix. Got any clues for us?"

The young man blinked. "Um... no. Not really. This site researched Phoenixes at one time, but it's been... fifteen years or so since they did any work on it. Before I came here," He paused. "Have you talked to Dr. Surah at all? He's at the Mt. Arichi site."

"Yeah, we just spoke with him yesterday. Have you heard from him?" Raine inquired anxiously.

He shrugged. "I haven't talked to him in months. I suggested him cause he runs the site at Mt. Arichi and was also one of the leaders in Phoenix research. Most of what the government has on Phoenixes will be in his hands."

"You sure you don't have anything for us...?" Regal inquired. "We heard a Phoenix was spotted here two days ago."

He sighed and shrugged. "It was filed as an official sighting, but we saw the thing through a telescope. We're pretty sure it was a Phoenix, but we're not 100 percent sure."

"How sure are you?" Kratos inquired, shifting Lloyd's position on his back.

He paused for a long moment. "The most we can be sure is about seventy-five percent." He gave Lloyd a once-over. "Hey, is he alright? Do you need a doctor or something?"

Kratos shook his head. "He'll be alright. He's just having a bad... month..." He looked to Raine, who nodded.

"Which direction was it headed?"

The young man turned his attention to Raine, then looked up, closing his eyes in thought. "Well... as far as we could tell it was headed west. It was difficult to say with how far away it was, but we figure pretty solidly that's where it was headed." There was a pause and a guilty look crossed the young man's face, as if he felt he should have more to give to them. "Well... if you guys are looking for a next step, I'd suggest Mt. Volley." Regal raised an eyebrow.

"On the lower Tethe'allan Continent?"

He nodded. "The leader of the research site there... Russel Brig... He used to be partners with Anthony Surah when Surah first joined the research team. He might know more about it than I do. I'm fairly new here."

"Russel Brig, huh?" Regal turned to Raine. "What do you think?"

"Well, we still have a few days left until the mana tracker is ready. I feel like we're on a wild goose chase, but we can't just sit and do nothing either," she muttered. "So I guess we're headed for Mt. Volley."

"Sounds good to me."

Raine jumped and spun on her heel. Not ten feet away stood the hulking figure of Warren, Letto and Farith not far behind. Warren smiled. "It so much easier to figure out where you're going if you tell us outright."

Zelos growled and took a step foreword. "You bastards. Where's Dr. Surah?"

"Dr. Surah...?" the young researcher inquired, glancing to Zelos, then to the newcomers.

Letto waved his hand. "Don't worry about him. We don't have any reason to kill the man. Not yet anyway. He is a scientist after all."

"You..."

"Enough talk!" Warren waved his hand, effectively stopping Zelos' speech. "Either way, if you are going to futilely attempt to find the Phoenix, we're going to have to take something of yours." He held out a hand. "The summoner... if you please."

Sheena's eyes widened. "Me? What do I have to do with the Phoenix?"

"Oh it wouldn't be any fun if I told you, would it?" Warren chuckled. "Now come on. We'll make you a deal. Trade to us the summoner, and we'll give you the doctor back."

A blade appeared directly in Sheena's vision and she glanced down, a red head standing firmly behind the blade, a scowl on his face. "In your dreams, crack-head!" He took a step, but was stopped as Raine held out a hand.

"Hold on, Zelos... we need to think this through..." Her brow furrowed. _They know something about the Phoenix that we don't... granted they've had access to all of the government's research files for a while... But what has that got to do with Sheena...?_ She paused. _Could it have something to do with that picture of Aska we found in the folder...?_ She growled, Kratos and Genis taking up a stance behind her. Presea and Regal took up positions on Raine's other side and weapons were drawn.

"No deal?" Warren inquired disapprovingly.

Raine chuckled. "That doctor is the only leverage you have against us. If we deny your offer, then you have nothing left."

"You are willing to risk a man's life on that?" Letto inquired, his nose wrinkling at her.

"That man gave up his freedom and his life to protect us. He handed it to you, but you didn't take it. Not yet anyway. He's already risked it. I'm simply betting on his risk," Raine called over to him, hoping she sounded somewhat confident.

Farith was suddenly gone, reappearing between Sheena and Zelos. Sheena gasped, but just as quickly, Kratos had appeared in Sheena's place, having pushed her into Zelos, his blue wings glittering behind him. Farith said nothing as usual, simply vanishing into motion, Kratos on his heels. Zelos set Sheena on her feet and took off foreword, not straying all that far away from Sheena in an effort to engage Warren. Sheena herself pulled several guardian cards from her belt and attempted to hit Warren, who simply sliced through the incoming ones with his sword. Letto occupied himself with going after Raine and Genis, Presea and Regal rushing in to help. Zelos stared Warren down, the latter of which looking hardly engaged at all. He glanced this way and that, an eyebrow raised. "Where's your other winged friend? Lloyd."

"None of your damn business," Zelos cried.

"You seem to say that a lot, ne Zelos Wilder?" Warren chuckled hopping down from his little pedestal and approaching. Zelos tensed as Warren bore down on him

"You seem to get nosey a lot, ne Warren?" Zelos countered.

"Ooh. Snappy," Warren chuckled, bringing his sword down to clash against Zelos'. A large foot was aimed at Zelos' gut, but the smaller man quickly slipped to the side of the foot, the sword's momentum shoving the blade into the ground and sticking firmly. Zelos twirled around his opponent and made a slice for the middle. Warren laughed, yanking his sword from the ground and holding it up, catching Zelos' blade and shoving him back a few feet. Zelos growled, standing straight and glancing around. Suddenly, the large man was gone. Letto still stood off to the side, firing blast after blast from his miniature cannon, and he couldn't tell weather or not Farith was there or not. He always moved so quickly.

Though then again...

The momentum of Farith's quick movement suddenly slammed into Zelos' back, snapping his head back and his vision went white for just a moment, toppling him onto the ground. Kratos turned. In his instance of ignorance, Farith had made a move against Zelos, and his wings now carried him at full force toward Farith, tackling him several feet away and causing them to skid a good distance before the fight was resumed.

"Let the disciple of ice grant me her power..."

Sheena froze. A deep voice uttering an elven incantation.

"Ice spears!"

Seven pinpoints of ice appeared not ten feet from her, where Warren was standing also, his sword pointed directly at her.

The icicles charged and all action on the field stopped. Sheena would not remember the next few seconds, though for the others it seemed like minutes. She blinked, and when her reddish eyes opened again, the ice spears were gone, and something was wrapped tightly around her middle. A red head had pressed against her chest, arms wound tightly about her waist, legs shivering as they attempted to remain upright. Her voice caught in her throat. The pinkish hue of his jacket now shimmered a sickly red color. She backed away a little, his arms coming unhinged and his entire body flopped limply to the ground.

"Judgment!" Kratos shouted. Light rained from the sky, striking and marring the earth at several different places. Warren, Farith, and Letto were gone in an instant.

Sheena sat a few inches away from the unmoving Zelos, her reddish eyes beginning to fill with tears though none spilled. Kratos wandered over, stooping to pick the broken body up. Sheena kept her eyes on Zelos' face until Kratos was gone and Genis began hauling her to her feet. "Come on, Sheena! We gotta go!"

Though wobbly, Sheena made it to her rheaird and the group was gone in an instant.

Fast.

That was the only way to describe the earlier happenings. One moment she was fighting side-by side with Zelos, the next, his form clung to hers as he shielded her from the icy attack.

Sheena sat near Zelos' sleeping bag as the man had been bandaged and bundled and now lay sleeping. His breaths were shallow and quick, but he was alive. Raine sat nearby, her staff held over him, and a light glowing from the tip of it. Having done this for some time, Kratos put a hand on her shoulder. "Come on, Raine. He'll be all right. His body can take it from here. We need you to be at the top of your game right now." Raine sighed and obliged, ending her treatment and standing to leave. Sheena barely noticed either of them. She sat still, her knees drawn to her chest and her arms hugging them in place.

What was she to think? Just this morning she had clapped her hand across his face for being a pervert. Now he lay in front of her for once again clinging to her body, though this time, his embrace was one of protection. His body pierced and nearly torn apart for her. What was she to say to that? She hardly even knew why he had done such a thing, taking a blow for her. Hadn't his earlier actions displayed a careless play? A perverted play nonetheless, but still.

The day seemed suddenly gone. A few hours spent traveling to Mt. Suru... only about two hours spent on the volcano in total, including the small ten-minute battle... and a few hours coming back. Raine had spent the full time from landing until nightfall attempting to close the wounds opened by the spears and eventually, Zelos had fallen into a deep and relaxed sleep, and so he remained.

Zelos grunted slightly in his sleep, his breathing quickening. Sheena leaned foreword. "Why the hell did you do that?" she demanded of the unconscious form. She pulled the cards from her belt and stared at them for a long moment. "Can I not protect anyone...? I couldn't protect myself... and you paid for it... almost with your life." She began shifting through the cards and eventually pulled a small blue one from the deck. "Water Guardian..." She laid it down upon Zelos' stomach. "Water... represents healing. Please... help him... I don't want anyone to die because of me. Especially not him..."

She jumped as a laugh was choked from Zelos' throat. He gave a smirk and half-opened his eyes to look at her. "I'm not gonna die... Sheena."

She got to her knees and leaned over him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, you shouldn't talk! Go back to sleep."

"It's not your fault, you know..." Zelos muttered, his face straight, ignoring her comment. Sheena went silent for a moment, and Zelos took it to smile. "I guess I just tripped into the path of those spears, huh?"

Sheena smacked his shoulder, as she dared not injure any other part of him. "You idiot!" she scolded. "Why do you always do that? Cover up what you mean by turning it into a joke?" Zelos' smile fell. "You always joke around, even when you shouldn't! You could've died today. Is that a joke?"

Zelos smirked. "No, not really. But I swear... Kratos' suggestions are gonna get me killed."

"I heard that!"

Zelos leaned his head up enough to give the red-haired angel a glare. "Shut it, Papi!" He sighed. "Listen... about this morning..."

"Stop talking you idiot. You're going to re-injure yourself," Sheena insisted.

Once again she was ignored. "I really didn't mean to fall on you. I just... tripped. That's all."

Sheena did allow her hand to clap across his face this time. "Damnit, Zelos, shut up! I don't care about this morning! I won't have you dying because of me! Now shut up!"

Zelos blinked at her, then smiled and allowed his eyes to close, muttering, "Sorry..."

Kratos smiled, attention turning back to where he and the others were perched around a campfire. "Again with the violence. Young people don't learn very quickly, do they?"

"Neither do old people, Mr. I Think I'll Wait Several Months Before Letting My Son Know He's Related," Genis countered. Kratos rolled his eyes.

Colette smiled from her position beside Lloyd, where she had bundled him into a sleeping bag. "You know, Kratos... Maybe you shouldn't make cracks about young people here. After all... compared to you, we're all young people."

"What... are you going to jump me?" Kratos chuckled, then raised an eyebrow.

"Hey... by the way, Colette... where did you vanish to earlier today? During the fight on Mt. Suru, you weren't there. What happened?"

"Professor Sage and Kratos asked me to look after Lloyd in case of a fight with Warren. That's what we talked about this morning..."

**That Morning...**

_"What's up, Kratos?" Raine inquired, having been lead through the brush and away from the others._

_"I wanted to check on something. You said last night that you were going to develop an idea on how to keep Lloyd safe by this morning. Did you get a chance to do that?" Kratos inquired, leaning on a tree._

_Raine nodded. "Yeah. It's fairly simple, actually. I figured, we need to assign someone to move Lloyd away from danger at the beginning of the battle. And they need to be able to do it discreetly, while the rest of us keep their attention on us."_

_Kratos blinked. "Makes sense, but who is going to volunteer not to fight Warren?"_

_Raine turned, stuck her torso through the bushes and called the young blonde diplomat over. "Hey Colette, come over here for a moment." Colette quickly obeyed, and Raine gave her a look. "Colette, I would like to ask you a very important favor..." Raine went on to quickly explain the issue of protection with her. Colette paused for a moment after she finished. Raine continued. "I know for a fact that since you put down your chakrams to lead Iselia, you haven't been fond of fighting. I know you would rather be the peaceful type. And I also know that you want to protect Lloyd. I think you would be the best choice to keep Lloyd safe."_

_Colette brightened and gave a firm nod. "I swear on my life... I will protect Lloyd with everything I have."_

_Raine smiled and glanced to Kratos, who said nothing, merely bowed and headed on back to the main camp where Zelos had reappeared and seemed to be up to his normal tricks._

**Present...**

Colette shrugged. "So I suppose you'll be seeing less and less of me in fights."

"I suppose," Genis chuckled.

Kratos paused. "Colette..." She glanced up to him. "Thank you."

Colette just smiled.

_To be continued..._

_

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_Bijin: Alright! Chapter 23 done! That took long enough. Hope you guys enjoyed it and review! Tell me what you think! Flame it, compliment it... I dun really care. XD 

**Next Chapter: The Madness of Humanity**


	24. The Madness of Humanity

Bijin: Getting these up a little faster now. I'm actually just about done with writing chapter 25. Woot. Anyway, hope you enjoy this next chapter. I really liked writing it. Alright...

Yokura: How long? My guess is the entire freaking game. XD He's a little shallow between other girls, but ti always seemed like there was something about Sheena that he liked.

RowenaRaven: Gorgeous!! That is all I can say!

Lady-Jana-Sparrow: XD I think Colette's a ditz as well, but I honestly think she and Lloyd fit so well together.

Maxmagnus20019: Exactly! That's the thing! Zelos may settle down with someone at some point ::coughSheenacough::, but he will NEVER stop being a pervert.N.E.V.A.R.

Alexa Aurion: Heh heh heh... I loved writing their conversation. It wash so much fun. oggles their hotness

Lloyd-forever: I'm glad that came across correctly. I was worried it would seem rushed. It was planned out, but it was hard to show the fact that I wasn't making things up as I went along. XD Cause there were a lot of things that you wouldn't notice or recognize until a little later.

Catwarrior: Yeah. Another point to drive home... Just because someone does something stupid, it doesn't decrease the need for that character to the others.

George Lennon: Oh don't worry. I know what it's like to be insanely distracted by other things. ::points at Twilight Princess and Two Thrones:: Yoooooou...

* * *

**Chapter 24: The Madness of Humanity**

"A what?" Raine inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"Zelos, sit down, damnit," Sheena growled, tugging at Zelos' gloved hand. The redhead stood up before the group as it packed up breakfast and prepared to leave for Mt. Volley. His shirt had been discarded for the moment, leaving him in the long jacket and clean wraps that covered his nearly healed wound.

"A ball!" Zelos repeated. "And you're all invited! The King is hosting a ball to celebrate the breaking of ground on a new project that no one cares about."

"You seem riveted. What's this new project?" Kratos inquired, pulling Lloyd up into his arms and wandering over to Regal's reheaird.

"Hell, I don't know. Something about the new economic projects they're doing in Palmacoasta to increase shipments. But it has nothing to do with my jurisdiction, or me, so who cares? What does matter is that as the second-in-command, I can invite anyone I want, and I'm inviting the eight of you." Zelos waved his hands. He bent down with more ease than one would expect from someone who had been nearly fatally wounded the day before. Such was the magic of healing arts. "And I expect you all to attend," He insisted, placing his face just inches from Sheena's and wrapping his arms around her shoulders. Sheena promptly shoved him away.

_You'd think he'd learned by now to knock it off_, she grumbled to herself. Zelos quickly picked himself up as Kratos spoke.

"Considering Lloyd and I are wanted simply because we are angels, I doubt we'll be all that welcome."

"Ah screw it. Come anyway," Zelos scoffed, mounting his own rheaird.

"Zelos, shouldn't you ride one this time instead of driving one? Kratos can ride yours today. You need to take it easy," Raine suggested.

Zelos' face brightened and Sheena found her face blushing as she felt the redhead's body suddenly mesh against hers, his arms going around her waist and his head coming to rest on her shoulder. "Fine with me," he quipped, his face displaying all the emotions of a very happy puppy. Seconds later, he found himself on the ground, nursing his jarred wound.

"He's fine. Let him ride his own," Sheena growled, starting up her rheaird.

"Ooh... cold," Zelos whimpered, wandering back to his own vehicle.

Kratos rolled his eyes as he took off into the sky, blue wings stretching and glittering in the morning sun. "Let's get a move on!" he called down. "It'll take us the better part of the day just to get to Mt. Volley. It's basically on the other side of the world."

Without any argument, but plenty of whining from Zelos, the group took off, soaring into the sky at top speed, heading for the southern Tethe'alla continent. Small conversations popped up here and there for the first several hours, but towards the end, one comment stopped conversation and turned all attention to the beginning of a group discussion triggered by none other than Genis. "You know, guys..." he began in an overtly loud voice to get everyone's attention. The next volume was just loud enough to reach over the hum of the rheairds. "We haven't even touched on the fact that Origin mentioned that we had to present something of worth to Lloyd before he could come back. Do we have anything that proves to him that he is needed here? We can't exactly talk to him when he's like that."

"That's true." Raine nodded. "Not to mention that as he sleeps like that, his soul loses memories. So we don't know how much he'll forget by the time he wakes up."

"So what can we present to him that proves he should come back into the living world?" Zelos inquired. "I mean... according to Lloyd, his life's been pretty damn lousy lately. What do we have that can convince him he needs to come back?"

"Think about this, I suppose..." Kratos began. "Why _do_ we want him to come back?"

A pause followed, as if no one could give an immediate answer, or lacked the words to express such a reason. Finally, Colette spoke up. "Because he's Lloyd."

"He's given us all so much hope..." Zelos continued. "And we need him here to help maintain that hope."

"He's my son..." Kratos mumbled. "We all love him and need him. So what is it we can do to show him that fact?"

Once again there was silence, and finally Colette spoke, looking to Regal briefly. "Hey, Origin... how fast does Lloyd's memory degrade after the soul has left...? Will... will he remember us?"

Regal glanced back to Lloyd and a short pause ensued, as though trying to come up with an answer. _How fast the memory degrades depends on the soul. It's not the same for everyone. At least, that's what I think. After all, how many people have ever been involved in this sort of thing?_

"I suppose..." Colette whispered. She paused for a moment. "I think I might have some form of an idea as to how to give Lloyd some motivation."

Raine glanced over. "Really? How?"

"Umm... don't worry about it. Leave it to me," Colette called back.

Raine raised an eyebrow, but left it at that. After all, she had entrusted her with the unconscious boy's safety. Why shouldn't she trust her now? She then looked to Kratos. "Either way... we need to hurry. The fewer memories he loses the better."

"Indeed." Kratos nodded, then glanced down, changing his flight pattern suddenly as his body arched upward, flying over the group to hover above their left flank.

"Kratos?" Regal called, considering he was the closest one to him. "What are you...? Oh." Regal looked down as they were signaled downward. Kratos turned and plummeted toward the nearest grouping of trees while the rheaird group descended a little more gracefully. Raine stopped her rheaird and approached the small group of officials who had waved them down.

"Is there a problem Officer?" She inquired politely.

"This is a restricted area, ma'am," he commented gruffly. "Not to mention this area is a no-flying zone. Mt. Volley is the second-most active volcano on the Neo World and no rheairds are permitted past this point."

Raine's eyebrows went up and she turned to the rest of the group as they dismounted their rheairds and approached on foot, Kratos hurrying over from the brush a little ways away and grabbing Lloyd as he passed Regal's vehicle. Zelos produced their government pass to the man, and he took a long moment to peruse it. The second officer nearby looked Raine over. "What business have you all here? You don't look like scientists."

Raine placed her hands on her hips. "I'm a researcher and a teacher, but not really a scientist. But if you must know, we're researching the Phoenix. We heard Russel Brig was one of the leaders of the original Phoenix studies and he worked here."

Another guard, who seemed significantly nicer than the others stepped foreword. "Researching the Phoenix huh? Well you're in luck." The two guards immediately in front of Raine gave him a scowl, but he ignored them and continued. "Dr. Surah... he was Russel's partner in the Phoenix research, and he's here right now. Came in just a few hours ago."

"Dr. Surah's here?" Zelos demanded.

The third guard nodded. "Well, yeah. He came in with a few tough-looking guys earlier saying he came to talk to Dr. Brig."

Zelos and Raine exchanged a glance before the latter took off at a full run toward the large tents spotted about a quarter of a mile up the mountain. The others quickly raced after him, but came to a dead stop as Zelos had when they rounded the first tent. Two pale-haired half-elven men had been bound and hung from their waists from the pole of one of the larger tents. At the moment, only Letto was visible, leaving the group to wonder where the other two were. Kratos felt Colette come up behind him and attempt to take Lloyd from his shoulders but he maintained his grip, shaking his head. "Not yet," he whispered.

"Took you long enough to get here," Letto grumbled. "Damn you guys are slow." He sighed giving a lazy stretch. "Now... you saw what happened last time you denied us... give us the summoner and we'll give you the doctors, seeing as how we've collected two now."

"Why should we listen to anything you say, Letto?" Zelos took a step foreword. "Destroying lives, hurting innocents and dragging civilians into your little vendetta. What the hell kind of justification do you have for that? What right do you have to threaten us like this?"

Letto yawned. "You elven freaks..." he muttered. Zelos raised an eyebrow. "It's because you freaks deserve it."

Zelos growled. "That makes no sense! What have I ever done to you?"

Letto let out a disturbing laugh. "Now that's an interesting question, red-head! What have you ever done to me...? You know what the answer is?" Zelos just glared. "Nothing. You've never done anything to me." He looked around at the others in the group. "And neither has that half-elven girl or boy... or the two angels, or the summoner or the blonde former chosen." He paused for another laugh. "But you know what the funny thing is...? You deserve to die anyway!"

"Are you crazy?" Regal demanded.

"No. No I'm not, and I'll tell you why." Letto paced back and forth in front of his two prisoners a bit. "Because I'm the only one who seems to see the truth people like you and the pink-haired one are missing. How grotesque these elven creatures are. How grotesque these summoner creatures are and how grotesque these angelic creatures are." He shook his head. "They're monsters! Granted some fiendish power from the 'gods' that allows them to manipulate the base substance for all life." He crossed his arms. "And why is it that a gift like that was bestowed upon only a few of the creatures on this earth, huh? Why not us normal humans? What did we do to warrant the refusal of such a gift?"

"So your vendetta against elven blood and those who use magic is just jealousy," Presea muttered angrily.

Letto shrugged. "I suppose that part of it is jealousy. Indeed. But it's the angels I really want dead." The group paused. "So much power contained in one body. Why is it fair that they should have twice the skills of any half-elf simply because they were willing to give up some blood? While the humans remain as normal as ever." He growled, and his eyes reminded Genis faintly of a wild beast. "They terrify me! They all have to die if only for our own sanity!"

"You mean for _your_ own sanity," Zelos corrected. "If you hadn't noticed, all of us co-exist quite normally with Kratos and Lloyd."

"Ah, but you are but a minority." Letto held up a technologically enhanced finger. "Is it not the general public opinion that angels must be exterminated from society?" Zelos growled. "You will find very few people who advocate the survival of angels. Specifically the survival of the one who caused their suffering; Lloyd Irving!"

Kratos felt Colette pull Lloyd from his shoulders and Silver Fang leapt from its sheathe. "You lay one finger on my son and I will kill you myself." He growled darkly. The group took a step back as Kratos took up the front position. "Besides... if you have a vendetta against elven blood, summoners, and angels alike, why do you work with a half-elf and a human with some elven blood in him... a magic user?"

"Because my hatred for angels outweighs my hatred for elves and the summoner," Letto explained simply.

"So you may very well turn on them once you've killed Lloyd and I?" Kratos supposed.

Letto chuckled. "It seems like a likely possibility."

"And you think magic-users are scum," Kratos growled.

"Shut up, Angel!" he shouted. His hand lashed out, a large sphere of energy erupting from the opening of the device, which covered his hand. Kratos did not dodge it, but rather simply lashed his sword out to strike it off to the side. Granted, it took out a corner of the building, but no harm was done to the members of the group. Kratos' progression toward Letto continued until the barely-visible form of Farith suddenly slammed into Kratos' side. The two stumbled about off to the side and disappeared again instantly, vanishing into motion as a high-speed fight began. Raine and Genis dashed over to help, standing only a few feet from where the fight had begun. Regal glanced to Zelos, then took off after Letto, Presea on his heels. Sheena took a step, but was effectively stopped as Zelos' hand shot out across her middle.

"Zelos, what the...?" she demanded.

"They're after you. Stay here."

"Hell no!" Sheena cried, rounding his arm and dashing after Letto. Regal swung his leg toward Letto's head, which was effectively dodged with a simple drop to the ground. Regal followed up by dropping his weight to his hands and swinging his other leg against Letto's ample body, tripping him up just in time as Presea swung her axe in a circle, a large blast of energy roaring fro the tip and slamming into Letto's side.

"Beast!" she called.

Letto yelped as he was roughly hit into the air, careening toward the tent from which the two doctors were hung. His eyes spotted a sword-armed Zelos dashing out to intercept him, but Letto quickly swung his legs down, sending him feet first toward Zelos at the last minute. A dull thud was heard as Letto's feet planted themselves against Zelos' middle and used the injured swordsman as a backboard, launching himself back at Regal and Presea. Zelos let out a scream as his tender middle was struck, taking the full momentum of Letto's flight and sending him flying backward away from the battle and into one of the tents.

"Zelos!" Sheena screamed, taking a few steps in his direction, but stopping as she spotted Letto plow through Presea like a bowling pin, then begin to take on Regal. "Damnit!" A card was whipped from her belt and her fingers released it, allowing it to float in midair. A large circle of energy glowed beneath her as her mind set itself to work.

Nearby, Kratos' invisible form shot through the air, easily keeping pace with Farith, but was having trouble switching from running to attacking fast enough to catch him. His body pivoted and he made a dash for the small half-elf, but was easily avoided, Farith tumbling out of his grasp and back to his feet again. Kratos gave a deep yelp as he was nearly pummeled by a large red ball of mana, and gave an instantaneous glare to Genis before he had to avoid a painfully bright Ray attack. More circles appeared beneath them as they attempted to suck the mana from the air. Kratos growled and shot off after Farith again, sword drawn and ready to strike. Farith rebounded off a large rocky area into the air and Kratos followed, but allowed the arch of his jump to be shorter, allowing him to hit the ground first, spin on his heel and launch an attack directly at Farith's front. Sword came down and he noticed that Farith had to block this one, holding up his forearms and catching the sword against metal plates.

_He's slowing up a bit. Just a little bit more..._

"Ancient ruler of the elements!"

Farith growled, using the strike to shoot away from Kratos once again. Kratos' wings gave a flutter and he was after him like a shot. _Almost got him...!_ Kratos muttered mentally, his arms tensed and prepared to take the half-elf down.

"I summon you... come! Maxwell!"

_Got you!_

At the same time that the old man appeared in the air above the battlefield, a loud explosion of dirt and rocks littered the area as Kratos' body impacted Farith's roughly in the latter's momentary lack of speed due to the mana-consuming summon. Kratos coughed heavily, glancing down to Farith who lay dazed in the pit of the hole they had created. Circles vanished from beneath the other two half-elves, as Maxwell seemed to have the mana-consumption taken care of. Maxwell took a moment to glare at Letto before a large staff was aimed at him, a huge ball of red mana firing and engulfing him. A scream was heard and Letto was on his knees by the time Maxwell vanished.

"Alright! Hold it!"

Letto smirked as Warren finally made his appearance. But it was not merely the arrival of the third member that stopped all action in the area; it was the two forms held limply in Warren's arms, which caused it. Colette's unconscious form was hung limply from his underarm for a moment before he dropped her blatantly to the ground, and from the other arm into both he brought Lloyd's lifeless body. Holding him upright as if he was standing, Warren chuckled. "Now... let's redo this. Angel... step away from Farith, and Farith, get your ass over here."

Kratos glanced up at Warren for a moment, as if debating weather or not to obey. Warren growled and his free hand gripped Lloyd's wrist, sending a pulse of mana through his body. Lloyd's brown eyes opened wide in pain, his mouth going slack in a silent cry. Kratos immediately backed away, giving Warren a dirty look. Warren smiled as Farith headed over. "Nice. Now... it seems as though I have your attention, so why don't we continue the interrogation? Why is it that you all are searching for a Phoenix? I'm pretty sure it has something to do with our limp little Angel-boy here..." No one said anything and Lloyd's mouth opened once again at the shock running through his weakened body.

"Stop!" Kratos shouted. "You're hurting him!"

"Why does he not scream?" Warren demanded harshly, the shock continuing to run up Lloyd's arm. "What is wrong with him? For what purpose do you need the Phoenix? Answer!"

"Stop it, damnit!" Kratos shouted, taking off toward them at a run. "Get your hands off my son!"

Warren's eyes gained a momentary anxiety at the look of rage on Kratos' face, but a rush of activity next wiped all expressions but terror from the faces of all those present. A high-pitched wail was heard, a glow erupting from the jewel on Lloyd's left hand and an explosion rocked the very ground they were thrown from.

Kratos picked himself out of the ground, shaking dirt from his hair and wiping it from his eyes. "Lloyd..." he groaned, glancing about the area. The tent nearest to them had been knocked over and the forms of the group were strewn about. Nearest to him were Raine and Genis who were slowly getting to their feet. Regal was helping Presea up nearby and Sheena was just coming to beyond them. Up by the tent, Colette sat up a hand to her head and looked down at Lloyd's limp form, eyes closed in a shallow sleep where he had been dropped. Colette leaned over him, checking over his vitals before looking to Kratos. "He's alright!" she called to Kratos. He sighed in relief as Sheena dashed past him into the tent which had toppled over.

"Zelos!"

As Sheena began to attempt to find her way inside the tent's tarp, Colette crawled over to where another form lay. "There's a half-elf here, and he tied, but it's not Dr. Surah. I think he was the other guy that Letto had tied up."

"Must be Dr. Brig then," Raine concluded.

Sheena found the entrance to the tent and darted in, able to crawl amongst the large toppled crates and the few still-standing poles. Finding an area that permitted her to stand, she glanced about, spotting a white-panted leg sticking out of a pile of crates. "Zelos!" she called, though she doubted he could hear her. Giving the leg a pull, she found it gave way easily, his other foot appearing immediately. Relief washed over her as she pulled his body from between two standing crates, having been protected from anything falling in the explosion. Several voices and shouts were heard from outside and Sheena stood, her head hitting the top of the tent and causing a small lump to form in the taut tarp.

"Anyone in there?" called an unfamiliar voice.

"I need some help getting him out of here!" Sheena called back. A large knife poked through the tarp and drew down; slicing a decent hole in it, and through the hole walked a large human in a white suit. "A medical team?" Sheena muttered. He nodded as he stopped to examine Zelos. Sheena made her way around to his other side and the paramedic attempted to shoo her away.

"We've got him. Are you with the guest group back there?" She nodded. "Then go get yourself checked out by the paramedics. I'll take him from here."

"I'm not leaving him," Sheena insisted.

"He's fine. He seems to have some bad bruising and a broken rib, but fine otherwise. Go get yourself cleaned up," he commanded gently, placing a hand on her shoulder.

Another man in white wandered over to personally escort her away and Sheena huffed. "Zelos..."

Kratos wandered over as Sheena was walked toward the paramedics building. His knees hit the ground next to the dark-haired angel's limp form, his hands slowly finding their way to his shoulders and pulling him into a sitting position. Colette gave him a look then stood, walking past the two of them and over to the nearest paramedic. Kratos stared at Lloyd's sleeping face, "Lloyd..." he muttered. Lloyd's brown eyes opened, lifeless and moving only enough to look at him. Kratos paused a moment before pulling Lloyd close to his own body, wrapping his arms across his upper back and burying his face into his shoulders. Lloyd's head tipped back in the embrace, lifeless eyes staring at the evening sky. Colette glanced back at the two of them, seeing Kratos' slender form shiver only slightly. Her arms were held out, stopping the rushing paramedics.

Kratos held Lloyd close for what seemed to him to be an eternity. Never before had he ever found such a show of affection necessary, but for some reason, he now clung to his son like a frightened child. "I'm sorry..." he whispered, his voice faint. "I'm so sorry..." he muttered again. "I'm sorry I let him hurt you... I'm sorry I let you get into this position..." His teeth gritted and for the first time in years, Kratos allowed a single tear to trace across his pale face before dropping to the ground.

Ignoring the paramedics, Kratos ended his embrace and scooped Lloyd into his arms, glancing back to Colette for a moment before silently walking away. Colette smiled. Father-son time was father-son time. Even though it was only to keep Lloyd away from the paramedics. Perhaps it was time for Kratos to let his grief catch up to him.

_To be continued..._

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Bijin:Alright... chapter 24 down! Chapter 25 should be coming up pretty soon. XD 

**Next Chapter: Russel of Mt. Volley**


	25. Russel of Mt Volley

Bijin: Alright... this chapter has been written for a long time, but for some reason I've been paranoid about posting it. I suppose it's because we're in the homestretch and I'm worried about messing something up before the climax and ending. Anyway, here's chapter 25. Relatively short, but a pretty important chapter. Review responses!

Lady-Jana-Sparrow: Nicely name. Anyway, yeah. Kratos did need some father-son time... even if the son wasn't quite all there. XD And you seem fairly happy about Colette's little mess-up. XD

Lloyd-forever: Oh i love Zelos/Sheena. But you'll have to see for yourself what all happens. Will the screwing over continue? Only I know! And I'm not telling. Nyeh. XD

Maxmagnus20019: Indeed. Zelos will always be Zelos. Nothing more, nothing less. Zelos is a constant.

Yokura: That seems to be a more popular idea as several people have asked me if they can use the angel hunter idea. I don't mind if you use them. They are originally my creation and all, but I don't mind other people using them. I appreciate you asking very much. XD

Alaia Skyhawk: Of course. Impeccable timing was the least I could do. After screwing them over so many times they deserved some plot-convenience. XD

Kingdomonkey: Late and relatively short, but here it is!

Alright... yeah... that's all.

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**Chapter 25: Russel of Mt. Volley**

"Zelos? Can you hear me?"

Sheena's worry-clouded eyes swam into view and a smile came over redhead's face. "Wow... I could get used to this waking up and seeing Sheena's face first thing in the morning stuff," he chuckled. "Are you _that_ worried about me?"

Sheena rolled her eyes, walking away. "Idiot," She growled.

"Sorry to keep you all waiting." An unfamiliar voice floated to Zelos' ears and he craned his neck to see a white-haired half-elf enter the room and look at the group. Raine, Genis, Regal, Presea, Colette, Sheena, and Kratos were sitting in folding chairs around an empty chair, which had obviously been reserved for the newcomer. Lloyd had been sat down and propped up against the chair where Kratos was sitting, and Zelos worked himself slowly into a sitting position. He gave the new man a once-over. He wore a simple dress pants and blouse outfit beneath a long white lab coat, as seemed typical of researchers. His white hair was long and pulled back into a high ponytail, making him look younger than his former partner. "My name is Russel Brig. I'm sorry you had to get caught up in that." He took a seat in the empty chair and Raine leaned foreword.

"What's the reaction to all this?"

Brig shrugged. "Well your statements have been filed as well as my statements and Warren's Angel Hunter group has been pulled from the government's files. They're not being discharged from their files, but they are being brought in for interrogation."

"What? They threatened you!" Sheena cried.

"Indeed, but the government trusts them more than you think," Brig muttered.

Zelos nodded, pushing himself into the conversation. "At the moment, the government fully believes angels to be a threat, and Warren, Letto, and Farith are their best weapons against them. Meaning they aren't going to fire them unless they do something completely outrageous."

"They nearly killed my son," Kratos growled deeply. "That's outrageous enough."

"Well there's no way you can plead that case now, sir. You refused to let the paramedics look at either you or your son, so we can't determine what was done to him. And now after time has passed, even if you did let them look at him, that argument wouldn't stand up in a case against them," Brig reasoned.

Kratos grunted. "I have my reasons."

"I suppose you do." Russel shrugged, but then looked at Raine. "Either way, you've all been cleared from the suspect list. The explosion that chased Warren and his buddies to head for the hills wasn't anything traceable, so the blame can't really be fairly put on anyone. They're covering it up as an industrial incident." He shrugged. "I don't really remember much about the incident except when they knocked me out. I was able to testify that you weren't involved in my capture, but I can't really say what happened. The most I remember was seeing Dr. Surah and Warren, and next thing I know, I'm waking up with paramedics all around me."

"Figures the government would cover it up," Zelos muttered.

"Remember, Zelos, you work for them." Kratos smirked over at him. Zelos gave him a dirty look, but Raine cut in before anything too profane could come from his mouth.

"Anyway, Dr. Brig..." Raine began. The half-elf held up a hand.

"You can call me Russel. Dr. Brig has always sounded far too formal," he chuckled.

"Well, Russel, we came to you because we have need to find a Phoenix, and we heard that Dr. Surah and you were the two main heads of Phoenix research. We were hoping you could possibly give us some information," she continued.

Russel took a moment to think, then looked to the group. "Can you give me the information you have? I can try to fill in the blanks if you want."

Raine produced the large folder she had stowed in her pack and set it on her lap. "Dr. Surah gave us this when we visited Mt. Arichi." She glanced through several small portions, then began to recite. "We know that Phoenixes live in active volcanoes since they make their nests in the lava pools in the crater."

Russel nodded and Kratos picked it up. "We also know that Phoenixes, because of their diminished wingspan use mana currents to fly and keep their bodies in the air."

"A basic mana tracker could probably find one, but basic mana trackers are a rarity these days. Even so, I'm surprised people haven't used basic mana trackers before. If they had, there wouldn't have been such a huge deal about the first time one was found," Zelos muttered.

Russel held up a finger. "I think I can step in here." He leaned foreword. "The thing is... even if you can find where the nest is, Phoenixes are very elusive and wary creatures. They generally don't like humans, meaning they will avoid them if possible. If spotted by a human, a Phoenix will dive into its nest and wait in the lava pool until it thinks it's safe to come out. The reason scientists haven't captured a live one or even met one in person is because we haven't been able to come up with something to drive them out of their nest once they've settled in."

"Well, are there any theories that give us a hint as to what could drive a Phoenix out?" Regal inquired. "That could be the key here."

Russel poked his chin. "Well, there are two main theories that people have come up with. The first is to create a disturbance enough to actually chase the Phoenix from its home." He shrugged. "But considering they live in active volcanoes, such a thing would most likely be looked down upon. After all, a large enough disturbance could trigger an eruption. The second one involved the pride of a Phoenix."

"Pride?" Kratos repeated.

"Yes. It is said that Phoenixes, while being reclusive birds, are also very proud. They think themselves above humans and so don't appear in front of them very often. It is said that if you present something that proves you worthy to a volcanic crater which holds a Phoenix nest, the Phoenix will come out."

"So... despite the fact that many other people have tried to find the Phoenix the thing that has to separate us from the other people is that thing that will drive the Phoenix to meet us," Sheena muttered.

"Well, you're a summoner, aren't you Miss?" Russel requested, looking to Sheena. "That Warren guy was asking for the summoner. Meaning you?"

"Yeah, but we're wondering what Sheena has to do with all of this," Genis informed.

Raine produced the picture of Aska from the folder. "Does it have something to do with this?" she inquired.

"Of course," Russel answered. "It's believed that Aska is probably one of the few things that can draw out the Phoenix."

"What?" Sheena exclaimed. "Why?"

"Well, Aska is classified in the same genus as the Phoenix. That's the first reason, they are similar," Russel began. "However the Phoenix sees it a little differently. The Phoenix looks at Aska and sees a smaller version of itself. Being a proud creature, the Phoenix will respond to something it sees as beautiful as itself."

"I don't get it. Aska is the summon spirit of Light. How can it possibly be in the same genus as a fire bird?" Colette inquired.

"Well, when Aska was first classified, people didn't know what summon spirits were," Genis began. "Aska was seen more than any other summon spirit since it flew around regularly and when people looked at it, they thought fire, not light. And so it was classified as a firebird. Kind of one of those things that was proven false, but never actually changed."

"So... once we find the Phoenix, we can get an audience with it by having Sheena summon Aska," Raine smiled.

"That's true, but there is one thing that worries me," Kratos cut in. Eyes turned to him. "Warren, Letto, and Farith knew about the need for Sheena. They obviously knew the theories on Phoenix behavior, and they have been able to track our movements completely up until now. How much to they really know? Is this information about Aska enough to tell us the location of the Phoenix's nest?"

"I doubt it. Aska flies around constantly. There's barely a way to track Aska, let alone-!" Russel was cut off as a young man wearing glasses and an unbuttoned suit jacket rushed in.

"Dr. Brig!" he called.

"Russel!" the doctor insisted.

"Dr. Russel! A Phoenix has been spotted!" he cried.

"What?" Russel stood along with the rest of the room's inhabitants.

"The Phoenix made a stop at Mt. Jira twenty minutes ago, landing in the crater and picking something up. Someone spotted it and it took off, heading west! And there's a call for you from Meltokio," he blurted in one breath.

"Thanks Mason!" Russel laughed. The two of them headed out.

"Alright! Mt. Jira is just a few hours away!" Zelos cried, sitting up. "We should get going!"

Raine pushed him back down with her staff. "Easy there, Zelos." Zelos pouted. "That was twenty minutes ago. The Phoenix will be back in its nest before we even get to Mt. Jira. There's no point in worrying about it now. Let's rest here for the night if they'll have us and let your wounds heal."

"But... we're so close..." Zelos whined.

"And getting closer," Kratos muttered. "Rushing around at a time like this is going to get us nowhere. Specifically when Warren is finding things out almost as quickly as we are. We need to plan our steps carefully or we'll end up losing Lloyd for good."

Zelos conceded and lay back down. Presea looked to Kratos, then to Lloyd. "Is he alright?" Kratos looked up. "I mean... those shocks Warren gave him... they didn't hurt him, did they?"

Kratos put a hand to his son's head. "He'll be fine. He just needs... a little time to heal. Warren used a little bit of electrical charge to shock him. He's got a few burns, but they're minor and few in number."

Genis smiled. "I'm glad he wasn't hurt."

"I'm sorry..." Colette muttered, her blue eyes glued on the ground. Her hands covered her face and tears began to wet her fingers. "It was my job to protect him, and I failed. I'm so sorry Kratos."

Kratos gave a smile. "I know you better than to think you were being careless. We weren't expecting Warren to see you when you took him, but I suppose Warren must've been hiding at a good vantage point. I can't be mad at you for not being able to stand up to Warren." Colette nodded, but Russel then burst through the door, a small cordless phone in his hand.

"Mr. Zelos? There's a call for you from Meltokio," he commented, handing the device over.

"Hello?" Zelos muttered. The room went silent and the group turned its attention on Zelos as he spoke. "Victor? Hey, wassap?" he chuckled. "Yeah! Yeah I did!" He paused for a long moment. "Nononono... umm... let me think... we're an equal distance away from both, so... Sybak. It's... more or less on our way." He nodded. "Thanks, Vic. I really appreciate it. Oh hey! Is that one computer guy still working there, the one with the blue hair who gave us the information from the computer when we were there?" He sighed. "Figures..." He then shook his head again. "Ah, no biggie. Thanks, Vic. See you at the ball, all right? Bye." Russel grabbed the phone and headed back to work as Zelos turned excited eyes on the group. "The mana tracker is ready!"

"So soon?" Sheena inquired. "It wasn't supposed to be ready for a day or so."

"Well, when the great Zelos, asks..." Zelos muttered proudly.

"This is perfect. We can head over there tomorrow morning," Kratos smiled.

Raine smiled and stood. "I'll go ask Dr. Russel about staying here tonight. Thanks, Zelos."

Zelos nodded. "It's in Sybak right now. I told them to leave it there so we can pick it up on our way to Mt. Jira."

"Sounds good to me," Colette clapped her hands.

Kratos glanced to the limp form next to his chair and smiled.

* * *

Her footsteps were silent, her movements crafted of stealth. And yet somehow, he knew she was coming. 

"Awww..." he cooed mockingly. "Did you need a goodnight kiss?"

"Baka miko. Shut up," she grumbled. "How'd you know I was coming in here?"

Zelos gave a quiet chuckle. "You should know by now that I know everything about you, Sheena. You're complicated, but not _that_ difficult to figure out."

"Thanks," Sheena growled. "A ninja loves to hear she's easy to read. I don't even know why the hell I came in here."

"Your bed not comfy enough? You and the others get to sleep in hotel-like beds. Then there's Lloyd and I. We got to sleep in the sick-person's room."

"Infirmary." Sheena grumbled. "And hotel bed? More like military cot. I don't get how these people sleep on them."

"You sleep on the ground all the time, what do you care?" Zelos inquired.

"Never mind..." She glanced down. "How are you feeling?" The redhead paused. "You gave me a scare today... I wanted to make sure you were alright."

"Sheena... listen. I may look slim, but I'm hardier than you give me credit for." He chuckled. "I survived you guys kicking my ass after I told you I had been working with Pronyma, didn't I?" Sheena didn't say anything. "Or... is that the reason...?"

Sheena growled, but her voice remained somewhat soft. "I thought you were dead, alright? You didn't show up again until you and Kratos saved all of us. I don't want to go through the pain of losing a friend yet another time."

Zelos reached a hand out and placed it on her head, a smile she only half believed curving his lips. "Lloyd will be fine. We're getting closer to the Phoenix every day."

"I wasn't talking about Lloyd!" Sheena insisted. However, she did crane her body to get a glimpse of the soulless body, sat up against the wall behind her. She paused, then giggled. "Zelos... look at this." She moved aside and Zelos' face turned red with the effort to hold in laughter.

Lloyd was not alone. Sitting next to him, her body facing was wall, was a sleeping Colette. Her body faced his, head resting on his shoulder and both arms wrapped limply around his torso, just enough tension keeping her upright. She still seemed to be hugging him quite tightly. Sheena chuckled. "I suppose Colette's more worried than the rest of us..." Sheena muttered, standing. "I'd better get back to bed. You need your sleep."

Zelos pouted, but shrugged and attempted to fall back to sleep as she left. His eyes closed on the sight of Colette and Lloyd, and unsurprisingly, and image with himself in Lloyd's place and Sheena in Colette's popped into his brain. Zelos fell to sleep with a smile.

Sheena remained at the door even after she had left, leaning back against the wall. The image of Colette and Lloyd would not leave her mind. _Even if Colette wasn't comfortable hugging him like that, she did. If only to say sorry. She depends so much on him. Why can't I learn to depend on someone like that? I always have to do things myself and it gets me nowhere._ She sighed and headed back to her room. _If only for Colette's sake... we need to get Lloyd back soon._

_To be continued..._

_

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_Bijin: Alright... chapter 25 done. Hopefully chapter 26 will be done soon. I lost a big section of it because my thumb drive got yanked out at the wrong time. x.x So I've gotta rewrite a section. Hopefully that won't take too long. Alright... till next time! 

**Next Chapter: The Final Pieces**


	26. The Final Pieces

Bijin: HOLY CRAP ON A STICK! The story is completely written. I just finished chapter 28 today, so all that is left to write is the epilogue. I still might fiddle with the ending a little. A lot of stuff had to happen and things needed to all come together and while I knew how that was going to happen in my mind, putting it on paper and having a bunch of people understand it was completely different, so I'm not gonna post it all at once. XD

Anyway, here's chapter 26, I hope you enjoy it, so review responses!

Lady-Jana-Sparrow: Thanks. I kind of pondered changing that to saying she was just sleeping next to him, but then I was like... nah. It's cuter this way.

Catwarrior: Indeed. Sorry, but I can't answer those questions, you'll have to wait and find out!

Maxmagnus20019: Thanks. The ColetteLloyd sequence seemed to be pretty popular.

Blaze knight 342: "Even if Colette isn't comfortable hugging him like that". The comment wasn't really meant to say weather she liked him or not, it was mainly because Sheena recognizes that Colette isn't someone as bold as that. She wouldn't normally hold Lloyd like she did simply because she'd be too flustered. But she's saying that at this point, the embrace was her way of saying she was sorry.

Water-smurf: Well, there are many different ways to look at this issue, which is what you'll see displayed in the next chapter. There are far more reasons and opinions to jsut say wether it was right or wrong.

George Lennon: No need to apologize, you haven't done anything wrong. XD

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**Chapter 26: The Final Pieces**

Zelos ran ahead of the group, dashing in between civilians and around buildings, quickly making his way through the main part of Sybak. Raine sighed. "What's with him? He's a little hyped."

"You know Zelos... likes to show off his skill in a certain area whenever he's in a place he's familiar with," Kratos chuckled quietly, shifting Lloyd's position on his back.

Sheena growled, stomping her foot as she rounded a building and saw the redhead in his usual posture. One arm against a building, bearing down on a young university girl, typical smile on his face. "Baka miko!" She called down toward him. Zelos blushed, backing away just slightly, and the poor girl was gone in an instant. Zelos glanced back; looking very much like a puppy whose toy had just been yanked from its teeth.

"Sheenaaaaa!" he whined. "You are such a party-pooper!"

"We're not here for a party." Regal shrugged. "We're just here to pick up the mana tracker."

"Come on! We're in Sybak! This place is awesome!" He sighed. "So many intellectual types."

Kratos gave a chuckle at Sheena's scowl, but one of his own came over his face as his eye caught a brown-haired familiar floating about the crowd, vanishing just as soon as he had come. Colette's waving hand was suddenly in his face. "Hello...? Kratos...?" she called. He shook his head and glanced down at her. "They're gonna leave without us! Come on!" She chuckled at his air-headedness, and took off. Kratos sighed and headed after her. The foreboding feeling in the back of his mind growing stronger as he walked.

_They know where we are at all times, _he muttered to himself.

_Something on your mind, Kratos...?_ Origin called, speaking up for the first time that day.

Kratos paused as he caught up with Colette and turned down the stone drive for the Sybak University. "Nothing... don't worry." He shook his head and Origin chuckled.

_Kratos... I was your companion for 4000 years. Don't insult me by assuming I can't tell when you're lying._

Kratos shrugged. "I won't. But don't worry about it. Seriously."

Colette quirked an eyebrow at him. "What are you talking about?" Colette inquired, only having heard Kratos' half of the conversation. After all, Origin had the freedom to choose whom his voice reached. Which certainly was useful during late-night chats with Kratos. Otherwise the poor angel would most likely have had his hands full with bleary-eyed and rather disgruntled companions.

Kratos shook his head. "Nothing. Let's go," he insisted as they headed in.

_You know, you must seem really schizophrenic when you talk to me at night. The others can't hear a word I'm saying._

Kratos ignored him for the moment as Zelos stepped up to the counter; facing the very same man they had met the first time they were there. "I'm back, Gavan!" he called happily.

The addressed raised an eyebrow. "I see... back so soon? What can I do for you?"

"Here to pick up a mana tracker I ordered," he announced. Gavan nodded and quickly vanished into a smaller back room where the shuffling of several papers and boxes could be heard. Zelos turned to the group. "So where to after this?"

Kratos hummed. "Well... I'd say to Mt. Jira. It would give us a starting place at least."

"What do you mean?" Colette requested.

Kratos shrugged Lloyd higher onto his back. "Well, if you'll remember, The Phoenix stopped there yesterday. We'll get a fresh trail."

"True. We won't get anywhere by blindly waving the tracker around, hoping to catch wind of a Phoenix's trail," Regal agreed. "So Mt. Jira is a good starting point since we know a Phoenix was there recently." He looked to Zelos. "How exactly does the tracker work?"

"Well, there's a small opening at the front, which will absorb and analyze a certain type of mana. You just have to absorb a small amount of mana for it to be able to recognize it. After that, once you come near a mana current with that same mana signature, the tracker will let out a tone. It will analyze a large area surrounding it and give you an estimate of where the mana current leads and give you a general direction. That is when it kind of locks on. After that, you can follow the signature and the device will give off that tone again if you get off course. It will keep letting out that tone until it detects the direction again. After that you just plot your course and head after it again." He shrugged. "And that's pretty much it."

Raine smiled. "Wow... fascinating little device. Quite useful, too."

Zelos shrugged. "Yeah, it does all that, but that's about all it does. It can't retain information so once you turn it off, it loses the memory of that mana signature." He turned as Gavan returned, a package in his hand.

"Here you go, Mr. Wilder." He smiled. "Is that all?"

Zelos scooped up the package and nodded. "Thanks Gavan! See you later!" With that, Zelos headed back out the door, the others attempting to keep pace. They quickly made their way out of the city and back to where the rheairds were parked, sitting down around the package. Roughly the size of a shoebox, Zelos pulled it out of the white packaging and held it up. "Nice. The more advanced ones are smaller. But they take more time to make. So I ordered an older model. Faster." He shrugged and held it up. "So... who wants to use it?"

Raine immediately hopped up. "I do!" She cried, snatching it from Zelos' hands and slinging the attached strap over her shoulder. "Wow... so this is the long-awaited mana tracker..." she whispered excitedly. Flipping a switch, she jumped at the tone that was instantly set out. A manic ruin-worthy smile came over her face as she pulled it up a little to look at the display that ran across the full front of the device. "It says... there's a signature heading northwest of our position..." She clapped her hands and looked up, turning northwest and pausing at whom she faced.

Kratos blinked at her. "Hi..."

Raine looked down at the device and sighed. "I suppose it doesn't specify between mana signatures."

Zelos shrugged. "I told you it was an older model."

"Wait... it won't pick up my signature will it?" Raine muttered, her eyes betraying she was worried the pleasure of using it might be taken.

Zelos shook his head. "It wasn't designed to pick up half-elves. Half-elves and elves are different in that matter from angels and other mythical creatures." He looked to Kratos.

"Mythical?" he inquired flatly.

"See... angels have a much higher mana output than half-elves or elves do. For the most part, half-elves and elves are able to keep their mana confined to their bodies. But angels can't do that."

Kratos nodded. "Our bodies aren't able to handle the amount of mana they generate and so it spills outward, creating a mana trail." He raised an eyebrow at him. "And how is it you know so much about us?"

Zelos chuckled. "Have you forgotten that for however short a time, I had angelic power as well? Meaning that for a short time, my body created that same enormous amount of mana that yours does naturally. Same with Colette." Colette blinked. "But half-elves and elves do leave a mana trail as Kratos was able to show when we were tracking Lloyd. But the spillage of mana from their body is very slight. This mana tracker wouldn't be able to pick it up. A more powerful one might be able to, or one designed specifically to track half-elves and elves, but this one won't."

Kratos shrugged. "Anyway... I suppose it's safe to say that Lloyd and I won't be joining you up the mountain. Otherwise our mana signatures will interfere with the Phoenix's."

A silence ensued and Raine glanced down. "Now that is a problem. We can't leave Kratos and Lloyd alone. They're the primary targets for Warren."

"We'll have to split up." Genis muttered. "It'll only be for a little while, so hopefully we'll be alright."

"How about Zelos, Raine and I go up like we did in Meltokio when we visited the Elemental Research laboratory?" Regal suggested. "It worked then."

Raine shook her head. "No good. When it was there, there were tons of people around. Not to mention it was Meltokio. Warren wasn't going to cause a commotion in the city that provides his funding as an angel-hunter. Meaning he possibly won't have any qualms about attacking us in a less populated place."

"But then again, Warren might lay low for a while after what happened at Mt. Volley. Remember, he was suspected in the explosion as well as the kidnapping of Dr. Russel," Kratos reminded them. "He might not want to show his face again for a little while."

"Knowing Warren, he wouldn't risk letting a chance at Lloyd go just for the sake of protecting his reputation." Zelos waved his hand. Kratos sighed and set Lloyd on the ground, then plopping down himself. "However, it is likely he won't attack us at the volcano. The government is his source of funds and if he makes the government his enemy, he'll likely lose his funding. So they won't want to put the government on his trail any more than they are."

"Then again, Warren isn't known for being predictable. We shouldn't move until we know what we're going to do. We need to try and decide which team Warren is going to go after," Kratos muttered.

Regal sat as well, Presea only a few feet from him. "Well... is there a chance he could split his own team up? He did last time."

Raine shook her head. "Highly unlikely. Last time, despite the fact that Warren hid from us at first, he was obviously still nearby. It wasn't as if he was watching two different teams. Letto and Farith may be good, but I doubt they'd risk taking on four of us at once without Warren to guide them. That's a little _too_ daring."

"Well, they seem to be spooked easily enough. We've never beaten them, we keep just driving them off with one surprise or another," Genis muttered. "Is there anything like that we could keep in our back pocket in case they show up?"

"I doubt it. The things that have driven them away were mostly unexpected things. If we are expecting it to happen, I'm pretty sure they will be also." Raine put a finger to her chin. "They seem to be able to predict our moves pretty well, also. So like I said, we'll just have to come up with a strategy to hold them off."

"Hey Kratos, how are your wings?" Genis inquired quietly. "I have an idea."

Kratos blinked at him, the blue appendages flaring to life behind him. "Fine. Why?"

"Well, what if you hovered while we went up the mountain? You could be in the air nearby while we check the Phoenix trail," Genis suggested.

"That's a good idea, but what about Lloyd?" Raine muttered.

Kratos nodded. "True. I can't carry him while I'm flying. I can hang him below me by holding onto his wrists, but I don't know if I want to rely on my grip to save us."

"Could one of us stay nearby in a rheaird and carry Lloyd on the back?" Presea suggested.

Regal nodded. "That sounds like a good idea. But we'll still have to split up, though. After all, leaving only two people to protect Warren's main target would be foolish. Letto has long-range weapons, meaning he could shoot down the rheaird or Kratos himself. We need to have a few people on the lower portion of the volcano to keep an eye out for Warren."

"Although maybe we just shouldn't worry about the teams thing," Kratos grumbled, standing. "After all... we make it so much easier for Warren to predict our movements when we allow him to eavesdrop on us." Silver Fang was pulled from its sheathe and aimed at the nearby trees, a glare on his face. "So quit the spy act and get your asses down here."

"Aww, did you sense us?" Warren inquired, dropping from the branches. "Our poor element of surprise."

"No, I didn't sense you. And your element of surprise was gone the minute I saw Farith in Sybak," Kratos growled, the others leaping to their feet as well.

"Looks like your sneaking skills need work, Farith." Warren chuckled as the small man dropped from a nearby tree and was at Warren's side in an instant.

"Forgive me, Warren," Farith muttered.

"Oh cut the small talk," Letto spat, running over to join them. "This is boring! Let's just kill them already!"

"Sounds good to me." Warren chuckled, pulling his sword out. Farith was in front of Sheena in an instant, lashing his leg at her head. It was all Sheena could manage to duck below the hit and catch the other leg as he shifted weight to strike again. Raine's staff was held up and she began casting immediately, Genis doing the same nearby.

Letto's small stout form rushed at the two white-haired magic-users, an open hand out to fire, though he was met halfway by Regal's foot, casting them both off to the side where Regal worked himself to his feet first. "Still attempting that, are we?" Regal chuckled. "You're easier to read than I thought." Letto shrugged.

"What can I say? I'm a simple guy." He fiddled with the device on his hand for a moment before he dashed foreword, Regal kicking off the ground to meet him in the middle, leg winding up to kick. Said strike was thoroughly interrupted as something hot pressed heavily against his exposed belly. Regal gasped, at a loss for air as the device got hotter and hotter, and Regal found himself unable to move. "You know... mana is required for life. This is a special absorber which can pull mana out of dense places or places where mana wouldn't usually release." Regal growled. "You do the math."

Regal suddenly felt himself released, a scream coming from the reeling Letto. Presea offered a hand to Regal, pulling him off his knees. "You alright?"

"A little disoriented, but I'll be fine." Regal looked up, seeing the result of the blunt side of Presea's axe coming down upon the hand which held the device. Blood covered his hand, and it hung limply at the end of his wrist, fingers caught in a rather unpleasant-looking position.

"Damnit, you..." Letto growled.

Warren smirked as Colette took awkward hold of Lloyd's torso and began moving him away from the battlefield "Trying that trick again, eh?" His body launched toward hers, but was stopped halfway. After a large form shot past his vision, he found himself blade to blade with Zelos, a smirk on his handsome face.

"Indeed. Just because you know about it doesn't mean we can't use it." Fire suddenly shot from the sword and Warren jumped back. "You're not laying a finger on Lloyd. I promised I'd lecture him and I'm not letting anything hurt him until I get to do that!"

"You say some weird stuff, right hand man," Warren chuckled.

"Well, I don't expect some oaf like you to understand this kind of stuff." Zelos laughed.

Off to the side, the blur Warren had seen dash across his vision made hard contact with Farith, his body rolling over his, the blue-winged angel on top. "My only complaint is that I'm the only one with the speed to deal with you or I'd kill that Warren guy for touching Lloyd!" Kratos growled. Farith struggled beneath his weight, but managed to wedge his foot between his own body and Kratos' chest enough to kick him off. Kratos landed easily, and the two vanished from plain sight, only seeing the shimmer of Silver Fang every once in a while as Kratos took a few swings at him.

Behind the battle, Colette sat, her chakrams ready, beside the sleeping Lloyd, her eyes battle-ready and her mind calculating what she would do were each one of the enemies get close. _In any case, we don't have time for this. We're all getting worn down from all this... physically and emotionally. We have to get out of here. We don't know if we can pull another surprise out to drive them off._ She glanced to the side, her eyes widening at seeing the elder half-elf they had been wondering about recently. "Dr. Surah..." she muttered faintly. She quickly gathered Lloyd's torso awkwardly into her arms and began to drag him along, making her way over to where the doctor was bound. He sat limply against the trunk of a tree, hands tied behind his back and his ankles bound. "Dr. Surah...?" she called quietly. The doctor sat up straighter suddenly and glanced to the side.

"Oh... it's you, Miss. What are you... you shouldn't be over here. You should be getting that boy away from here."

"I can't carry him very well. I wouldn't get very far..." Colette sighed. "But I promised I would protect him, so that's what I'll do."

Surah shook his head before looking up at the battle. "We need to get you all out of here and fast."

Colette blinked. "But why do you want to help us? It seems to me all we've done is get you into trouble."

Surah chuckled. "No, Miss. I owe the two half elves more than simply running away." Colette shrugged.

"But what do we do?" she inquired, slicing through the ropes with her chakrams. "Like you said, we need to get out of here."

Dr. Surah sighed, rubbing his wrists for a moment before he stood, scooping Lloyd's lithe body into his arms. "Come on. The very least we can do is get this guy ready for take-off. I'll see if I can't help the others afterwards."

Colette nodded, her blue eyes wandering to the battle as they made their way back toward where the rheairds were parked. Her eyes landed on the invisible battle between Farith and Kratos. Raine grumbled as she cast a Ray spell, though nothing seemed to happen. They were simply moving too fast to aim. She looked to Genis. "It's no good," she called. "My Ray spell isn't going to work when they're moving like that. I don't know where to even aim. I'm worried about Kratos."

Genis nodded, his hand dropping to his side. "I am as well. I have no control over where the meteors land. I'm worried about hitting him."

Sheena waved at them. "I have an idea. Both of you... start casting right after I do. We need to time this correctly." She pulled a card from her belt and stuck it to the air, allowing it to float in front of her. "Good thing Kratos has his wings out. I hope he gets the idea..." A circle flared to life beneath her feet and her energy was pressed into the card, her voice beginning to form the incantation, "I call upon the disciple of everlasting ice..."

Genis sighed, beginning his cast as her circle appeared. He glanced to Raine before his kendama was flipped to life, waving the small ball up and down, energy circulating within it. Nearby, Raine began casting as well, watching the semi-visible battle continue.

Kratos' sword took a swing at Farith, though the swing was easily dodged. A foot came at his side and he merely grabbed the ankle, dropping Silver Fang for a moment, and redirected the momentum, launching him toward a nearby tree. Farith flipped in the air, pressing his feet against the tree trunk, and launched himself back toward the angel. Kratos growled, arms crossing in front of his upper body as the metal-plated forearms of Farith came smashing into them. Kratos yelped, bruises instantly forming, but brought his knee up in an effort to knee him in the gut. Farith's legs acted immediately, his feet pressing against Kratos' knee and jutting him upward, over Kratos' body to stand behind him. "And here we are again," Farith chuckled, taking off to the side. Kratos dashed into motion as well, running along side him and attempting to come up with another move. Basic martial arts weren't enough on this guy. He was fast, agile, and knowledgeable of common tactics.

"I summon thee, come! Celsius!"

Kratos felt his feet become suddenly slack, the bottoms of his boots no long gripping the iced-over ground. His wings carried him up, doing a flip to lose the momentum, then shot down after the downed Farith, whose slip on the ice had brought him a trip and a hard fall to the ground. He was on his feet in an instant, dodging the millions of ice spears that leapt from the ground, though he did notice his movements slowed substantially.

"Meteor Storm!"

Huge balls of red mana were hurled from the sky and Farith once again found himself desperately attempting to dodge the attacks with slowed speed. Kratos watched intently, floating several yards above the battlefield. Finally, one last attack was launched on the half-ready Farith.

"Holy Lance!"

A large square glowed beneath Farith's body and he dashed to the side, attempting to remove himself from the strike range. His success was not as complete as he had hoped as a sword of light came across his temple, carving a large gash and sending him to the ground once more. He leapt to his feet, though was only able to remain thus for a few seconds as Kratos halted his flight and simply dropped, using gravity and a single flap of his wings to bring a powerful kick down across Farith's injured temple. Farith dropped to the ground and did not move.

Kratos wasted no time with celebrating, dashing over to the side, watching the battle between the other redhead and the leader of the group for a moment before rushing into action.

Zelos charged back at Warren, sword raised to strike. Though the blades clashed, the small Zelos' strength was easily outweighed, and Warren simply pushed the sword back long enough to land a powerful punch to Zelos' face. The redhead fell backward, sword coming up horizontally across his chest as Warren came down upon him, Zelos having to support Warren's weight for the moment. Both legs came up and kicked Warren off, leaping to his feet and preparing for a second charge. Though Warren did not seem so eager. Zelos smirked at Warren's frozen body, glancing over to Letto, Regal, and Presea.

Regal dashed to the side, a large orb of mana rumbling past him and toward Presea. Presea merely sliced her axe down the middle of it, interrupting its current, before dashing through and toward Letto again. Letto rolled out of the way of Regal's Eagle Dive, and found himself face to face with the pink-haired axe wielder, already winding up for a Beast attack. As the axe swung, Letto charged his body to the side, rolling away from the animal-shaped mana, hand outstretched and coming to a stop directly before Presea's face. She yelped as a small shot of mana was fired, grazing her temple in her efforts to dodge. She dropped to the ground, Regal sliding in to take her place.

"Hey!"

Letto and Regal halted their progress, glancing up to Kratos, and Letto stood still. Silver Fang's tip had been pressed against the back of Warren's neck, the front of his neck threatened also by a precariously placed Excalibur, Zelos holding Warren's sword as well. Kratos continued, "Step back, Letto," Kratos called. "Get away from Regal now." Letto stood in indecision for a moment, Kratos' eyes narrowing. After all, the shorter man was the most disloyal to the group of three, hating Warren and Farith as much as the next magic-user. Though his goal to destroy angels seemed to still require Warren's help as he slowly backed away, seeing Sheena appear nearby, Farith's limp form slung over her shoulders. "Regal!" Kratos called. "Get Presea and go to the rheairds." Regal nodded, removing his cuffs and scooping Presea into his arms before heading down to join Colette, Lloyd, and Dr. Surah at the rheairds. Regal paused at seeing the half-elf doctor, but more questions could be asked later. For now, they just needed to get away.

The group made their way over to the rheairds, forsaking Warren and carrying Farith with them for now. Sheena boarded her rheaird and the group took off, Dr. Surah boarding Presea's unused rheaird as the unconscious girl was riding Regal's at the moment. As they flew overhead Warren and Letto, Sheena cautiously dropped Farith's form from her rheaird and they took off.

Warren grumbled, catching Farith's small body and placing him on the ground, putting two fingers to his neck. "He's fine. Just cleared his sinuses a little." Letto growled, looking to the sky.

"Should we go after them?" he demanded angrily.

Warren waved his hand. "No. Don't worry about it. We know where they're going to end up now that they can track the Phoenix." He waved a hand at him. "Make some flight arrangements. We need to get there by tomorrow morning or they'll beat us there." Letto grumbled and pulled out his small communicator, pressing a few buttons.

Despite his irritation at Warren's attitude, even Letto understood...

The chase wouldn't last much longer.

_To be continued..._

* * *

Bijin: So close! We're almost there! I'll hopefully have the next chapter up in the next few days or so. Review and stuff! 

**Next Chapter: Confessions**


	27. Confessions

Bijin: Like I said... Holy crap on a stick... I assure you that when I came up with this idea, I never thought this thing would be 28 chapters long. Okay... 29 with the epilogue, but we are almost done people! Here's chapter 27! And review responses as well.

Yokura: Well, as properly as still leaving them all alive, anyway. Yeah, in fact this was the first time they were able to get away without things exploding and stuff.

Catwarrior: You'll find out the meaning of Confessions here in a bit I assume.

Maxmagnus20019: Considering I wrote the fightscene at three in the morning, I thought it came out nicely as well. All things considered anyway. At first I had planned on making it a fairly short fight, but it took longer to describe and make my way through than I thought.

Lady-Jana-Sparrow: That's what they're hoping for anyway. XD

MoonlitInuko: Cool to see a new face. But yeah. I enjoy writing the little heart-to-heart things. Especially with Zelos. He is so much frikkin fun to write for.

Geroge Lennon: Indeed!

* * *

**Chapter 27: Confessions**

"Presea?"

The pink haired girl slowly sat up, a hand to her head. "Whoa... what happened?" She glanced around. Night had fallen and they sat in a small forest clearing, circled around a blazing fire. The hum of waves could be heard, meaning they were close to an ocean, and in the distance she could see the looming figure of Mt. Jira.

"How do you feel, Presea?" Colette inquired from behind Regal.

Presea shrugged. "I'm alright. What about everyone else?"

"We're all fine," Sheena offered. "And kind of wondering about some things." She looked to the white-haired half-elf who sat next to Raine. "Dr. Surah... is there a possibility you could tell us how you are connected to all this?"

Zelos leaned foreword. "Yeah. We didn't know you until a short while ago and you nearly died to save us. Plus you knew Raine and Genis. Why?"

Dr. Surah sighed. "I suppose I would have had to face these questions sooner or later." He looked at Zelos. "Perhaps you've heard of a man named Surah Wright?"

"Surah Wright..." Zelos pondered for a moment before he perked up. "Oh my god... I remember hearing about him in the palace... I've never seen him before, but... he was a serial killer who went on a rampage when I was just a baby. Eventually he was caught and sentenced. Somehow he ended up leading searches and field work for the Imperial Research Academy." He looked up. "You mean... you...?"

Surah nodded. "Surah Wright was a half-elf born to a human father and elven mother. His parents were killed by discriminatory issues. Humans hunted them down and eventually they sought to take refuge on Exire, and were lost on the voyage there. Surah survived, finding himself on Exire alone, though he seemed to have lost his heart after the incident. He grew to hate, not only half-elves but also those that created them, elven and human couples. The ones who brought these miserable creatures into the world. And he took it upon himself to wipe out all elven and human couples." He paused.

"But if he was a half-elf... why did he hate them so much?" Genis inquired softly.

"Simply because of the way he was treated. He didn't want any more people like himself to be born. Forced to live a cursed life simply because they were born with only half blood." He shrugged. "I suppose it was because the he... that I saw myself as self-righteous. I thought I was doing mankind a favor. Humans and elves wouldn't turn themselves into murderers and half elves wouldn't have to suffer." He shifted his position. "The first act which led me down that path was the betrayal of those who had raised me... the half-elves who had raised me. Dispicable enough, though a sin which involves the two half-elves here directly. I believe you have heard stories of your mother and father, Virginia and Kloitz. They were driven out of Exire while on the run from the government because a certain half-elf had sold the government their location. I regret to say that that half-elf was me." Raine and Genis could do little more than stare.

"I hated Kloitz. Though I felt compassion for you both as half-elves, this human had coupled with an elf and had two children. Two cursed children in my mind, and for creating more half-elves, I felt he needed to be punished. The government rewarded me by putting me at the head of the party which chased you for a while after that, eventually running your father's illness until it peaked and he passed away. We never got our hands on you, Miss Sage, and for that I am grateful."

Eyes seemed to dance between Surah, Raine, and Genis, and for a long time, not a word was spoken. Finally, Zelos' spoke quietly. "But... why are you working for the government now? You went on your killing spree after that, didn't you?"

"Yes, I did. I killed a grand total of 42 people, all humans and elf-couples. But at one point, I made a fatal mistake, and was arrested for my crimes. I was sentenced to life in prison, but the Pope summoned me out within three years of being in that cell. He told me that because of my cooperation with trying to catch the Sage family, I would be given a partial pardon and set to work for the government. My knowledge as a half-elf who had spent my life traveling was useful to them in studying the summon spirits, so I was set to be a researcher."

"But you also said something about Zelos, Dr. Surah. What does this have to do with him?" Regal inquired quietly, glancing to Zelos.

"Zelos was actually the reason I stopped thinking the way I did." Zelos raised an eyebrow. "I have in fact met you before, Zelos, not just in name. Twice. Both when you were very young. Your mother's lover... the one whom she loved in truth rather than your father, worked in the Imperial Research Academy. On a few occations, she came to see him, and while they visited, I was put in charge of you. The first time you visited was the week before she died, and the second time was the day afterwards. Since I had dealt with you before, they needed someone to watch you and calm you until they had a permanent nanny ready." He gave a long pause. "When I killed a couple, I usually either killed the child along with the parents, or I killed the parents when the child was away. But that time... I saw his reaction to a parent dying. He looked at me... and I saw in his eyes the same sadness that I had felt when my parents died. I suppose that kind of snapped me out of my hatred. And while I still feel some resentment toward elven and human couples... my thirst for blood has been banished." He looked to Raine and Genis. "And that's why I protected you all. Because I owe my life at the very least to you two, and even to Zelos, who lost their parents because of me and people like me." He looked down. "That's who I am..."

Raine remained silent for a long moment, eventually simply looking down. Surah sighed, as if preparing to speak again. "Please... don't say anything more," she muttered. "I don't want to talk about this any more."

From there on the night was oddly quiet and eventually the group fell to sleep. For the most part anyway. Even in the wee hours of the morning, two pale-haired forms could be seen sitting upon their sleeping bags, eyes fixated on the embers of the dying fire in thought.

* * *

Kratos glanced to Presea as she hovered her rheaird not too far from him, the two of them many yards above the ground at the base of Mt. Jira. They watched the rest of the group slowly make their way into the mountain's research site and up to the mouth where they lingered for a while before dashing back toward the base where the vehicles were parked. But as they left, Kratos noticed the two figures that lingered. The white-haired form of the doctor they were dropping off, and the female half-elf. They remained for a few moments, seeming to be discussing something. 

"Dr. Surah..." Raine called, halting as she made her way down the mountain. Surah sighed and gave her a nervous smile. "I thought a lot about what you said last night. About why you did what you did..."

"Miss Sage, what I told you was a reason. Not a justification. I had no right to do what I did."

Raine shrugged. "I know that." She looked up. "But I squared away the issue of my abandonment a long time ago. I put it behind me, because it's just life. If it hadn't been you, it could've been someone else." She waved a hand. "Everyone makes mistakes, no matter how large the mistakes are. It has past, and I think you have atoned by saving us. At least... I think you've earned our forgiveness. It won't bring back our parents, but it certainly shows how much you've changed since back then."

Surah merely inclined his head in acknowledgement.

Raine sighed. "Either way, I don't want you putting your life on the line for every half-elf you see. You've put that life behind you now, for a long time. It's been years since that happened and you've built a new life. Don't ruin it by trying to make up for things you did in the past. It won't do you any good." She crossed her arms. "I know better than most that a life doesn't equal a life, and the group I'm with knows that as well. Your life won't bring back those that you killed. Rather... why don't you live in their stead?" She shrugged, smiling at the doctor before she gave a stretch. "Well... there is someone else who needs a lecture like that, Doctor. I'll see you." She turned and headed back toward the rheaird.

Surah smirked as the young woman ran away. "I can see why the Imperial Research Academy wanted her so badly. Those words usually belong to a woman much older than she."

Raine dashed to her rheaird, hopped on, and floated to meet with the others then began spinning it about, mana tracker at the ready and searching for the correct direction. Regal glanced to Zelos as Kratos transferred Lloyd's still form to the blue-haired man's vehicle. "Hey Zelos, I was wondering... after the tracker has locked onto the Phoenix's trail, Kratos' won't mess it up, will it?" Kratos looked up.

Zelos shook his head. "No. The tracker is locked on, so it will ignore any other signatures it senses. However, we might want to have Kratos fly in the back, with Raine up front. If we get off trail, it's going to try and pick up the trail again and we don't want it to pick up Kratos' when it does."

Kratos nodded, securing Lloyd to Regal's rheaird before zooming to the back of the group, following as Raine suddenly pointed. "Got it! The trail is heading southeast. Let's go!"

The group took off, flying in silence for a while before Colette spoke up, a smile in her voice. "This is it, isn't it?" she inquired. "We're going to get Lloyd back."

"We're sure as hell gonna try, Colette," Zelos chuckled. "And we're counting on you to give him that motivation."

Colette nodded. "Leave it to me."

'Hey guys...?" Sheena called, drawing attention to herself. "I was just wondering... when Lloyd does come back around... what do we do?" She received a rather wide range of odd looks. "Well, I mean... how do we respond to him?"

"You're asking how we all really feel about what he's done," Regal figured. Sheena nodded. There was silence as the tracker let out a tone for a moment, then quieted. "I think each one of us has a separate opinion. We can't give him a general reaction, because not all of use feel the same." He looked down. "To be honest... I can't say I blame him for what he did. After all, I did the same thing when Alicia died. I punished myself and took an oath. Lloyd is following my example. And while I can't say I like the way he handled it, it would be hypocritical of me to be upset with him for doing the same thing I did."

There was a pause as the group generally figured it was time to decide for real what they thought of the situation. Presea spoke next. "When he first did this, I didn't think I could ever respect him the same way. But then I listened to what Colette said while we were in Meltokio. She said that Lloyd wanted to save the world. Yes, a part of him was running. But... knowing Lloyd, he wanted to save us and save the world, no matter what that meant. Weather we like _how_ he did it doesn't really matter. He saved us... and we owe it to him to bring him back. And so in a way, I agree with Regal. He did the honorable thing in giving up everything he had to save us. It hurt us, yes... but I think I respect him just as much, if not more, as I did before this all started."

Genis chuckled. "I kind of agree with her there." He looked to Lloyd. "I grew up with Lloyd, always hiding the fact that I was a half-elf... never dreaming that he in fact was a half blood like me." He paused. "And then he found out... he found out I wasn't really an elf. But... nothing changed. He was able to see past my heritage and still hold our bond together, unlike other people would have. When I saw him... in the Heaven headquarters... when I heard him shout how much he hated our races... I didn't feel any anger toward him. In fact... I was happy. I know that sounds horrible, but there was a part of me that was happy. Because now there was someone else that shared my feelings. Someone else who felt the same way that I had felt at one point. I understood his feelings so well. So well that it hurt." He nodded. "I have to side with Regal. I can't say anything against him because I assure you that were I in his shoes... I would've done the same exact thing."

Raine spoke suddenly from the front of the group. "I have to say that it certainly surprised me the kind of person Lloyd had become. But not in the way you might think. It wasn't the contrast between the earlier Lloyd and the current Lloyd that surprised me so much... it was simply the fact that suddenly feelings I had once harbored were displayed out in the open and amplified." She looked up, turning way from the tracker. "Even though some of what we had seen was a mask, the feelings he was displaying were real... and they were feelings I had once had. Anger toward the world for hating me. But Lloyd didn't hide those feelings and pretend to be all right with the world as it was. Rather... he spoke out against it. In some way I was proud of him for that. He hid behind a mask of anger... acting more hating than he truly was... but he wasn't trying to give off the idea that he wasn't upset. He let us know he hated the things done to him. While someone like me... I hid those feelings and became a hypocrite. I am proud of him for that at the very least."

"That was one of the things I admired so much about Lloyd," Sheena spoke up. "He's very genuine... well... most of the time," she chuckled. "Yeah, he wasn't being quite as genuine when we first met him... but he certainly wasn't trying to be someone he wasn't." She looked to the handles on her rheaird. "It hurt a lot to see him push people away. But that was something he did simply because he knew he couldn't hide who he was. He put on that mask of anger because he couldn't hide behind a mask of who he used to be. He pushed people away because he didn't want to pretend." She sighed. "Perhaps it was even the fact that he knew that just being himself he had helped so many people... and now 'himself' wouldn't help too many anymore." She shook her head. "And I still admire him for that! I admire him for being who he is. And with this issue... I can't say I'm mad at him. I think... he did what he could and what he had to, without hesitation. He did what had to be done... because that's who he is."

Colette shrugged. "I think everyone already knows my stance." She chuckled. "I think Lloyd did the right thing. After all... none of us knew of any way to divert Derris Kharlan. And so he took the initive. He saved us. No matter what we think of his method, he saved our lives. And that's plenty for me. It means that he is still Lloyd. Because he still loves this world - the world that hates him so much - he still loves it enough to give up his life to save it. Cause I doubt he planned on us trying to revive him. He might not have known there was a way to bring him back. In fact... he probably didn't."

Zelos chuckled. "I suppose everyone knows what I think. I certainly can't agree with not being upset with him for it." He looked up. "When I revealed to Lloyd the details of the night my mother died... he kind of changed the way I think about things. Not to mention when he saved Sheena and I from our illusions in Welgaia. The main thing he taught me was that there was significance in being born. That I had worth just by being alive. That was something that had never occurred to me before. My mother had said I shouldn't have been born, and I accepted that. Plus the fact that I was the chosen certainly didn't help things. Specifically once I found out I was just gonna be used as a sacrifice in some freaky resurrection ritual." He looked down. "But Lloyd didn't believe that. And he taught me that I shouldn't either. He fought for the idea that no one should have to lose their life meaninglessly and that every life had its own value." He growled. "But... when he then turned around and gave up his own life to do something like this... the exact principle he had turned against... I began to wonder if maybe he didn't honestly believe those things himself. Was he just saying those things out of pity? And if he didn't really mean those things he said... what reason do I have to believe them anymore? The value he gave me could've simply been based on empty words."

Sheena shook her head. "But you do understand that your own value hasn't changed, don't you?"

"Maybe." Zelos shrugged. "I honestly don't know. The value I felt for myself was based on the confidence that Lloyd helped me build. If Lloyd suddenly seems to reveal that his help was empty... meaningless... then is the confidence he built even real? Or is it some illusion Lloyd built because he felt sorry for me?"

"Zelos... no matter how much Lloyd has changed, you know he would never do that," said Kratos, his flight pattern carrying him to float next to the other redhead.

"Even so... I don't know if I can believe his words again until I lecture him directly." Zelos smirked as Kratos fell back into line behind the group.

Kratos sighed. "I've thought a lot about this whole issue. And I kind of feel like a jury deciding someone's sentence. Am I proud of him... or not?" He looked up. "Lloyd is my son... the one that I abandoned for twelve years of his life. Regardless of my reason, I wasn't there to help him. During that time... I was working with Yggdrasil, figuring that his ideal was the best way to eliminate discrimination. Following another's plans rather than my own. When I met again with Lloyd... I was terrified. I began pushing him away... afraid someone might figure out my connection to him. And I figured he would hate me if he ever found out what happened. But even as I pushed him away... even as he made mistakes... I felt myself overcome with how proud I was of him. He had become the exact kind of man I should've been. Loyal, persistent, moral, and quite powerful as well. It was I who should've taken after him rather than the other way around.

"When I saw him for the first time most recently... I couldn't feel quite as prideful for him. He pushed people away, trying to hide who he really was, though his honest streak won out in the end. His change was something I was not expecting but something that didn't quite surprise me either. For someone like him, who relied so much on people to help him through certain issues, suddenly having no one was devastating to his character. He had become the same exact kind of person I was during our Regeneration journey... bitter, angry, and very hurt. But rather than keep it in and become a hollow shell like I did, he let his feelings leak out. So I understood how he felt on that plane." He looked up as they changed direction slightly. "When he gave his soul to save us... I was furious at first. I knew how angry I was and how much it hurt me... but the more I thought about it, the less I could be angry with him about it. He had chosen his own path because the rest of us had reached out limits. We had nothing left to give to saving the Neo World. But Lloyd had something more. He's always been like that. In our moment of need, he suddenly is able to surpass some limit to accomplish what he needs. And for that... for what he has done... I am hurt, yes. It is painful beyond belief to see my son like this. But at the same time, I am extremely proud of him for this. For doing what he had to if nothing else."

Raine smirked. "Seems we don't resent him as much as we all originally thought." True, feelings toward Lloyd at first had certainly been rather hostile, particularly Zelos' rather ungraceful tossing of his body onto the hotel bed. But now... the air seemed clear. Each knew what the others felt... what they wanted to say once they got their comrade back. And it truly was time to return him to normal. Just one more stop...

It was stretching into evening before Zelos smirked and pointed. "Check it out!" he cried, his voice sounding loud after the few hours of silence after the discussion. "Mt. Chira!" he chuckled. "Certainly not the most active volcano in the Neo World, but look at what's next to it!" About a mile off to the side of Mt. Chira was the large valley carved out specifically to allow a certain large tree to flourish. "The Linkite tree! The place where Aska rests most often!"

Raine chuckled. "I suppose we should've figured that out sooner, eh?"

"How so? We only learned of Aska's relation to the issue a few days ago," Genis muttered.

"Hey! Don't let your guard down!" Kratos scolded, allowing his feet to touch the ground as the others began parking their vehicles. "Remember... Warren and his group have known about Aska's involvement from the beginning. Meaning they are most likely on their way here. They have known about this volcano for most of the time they've been chasing us."

The group nodded and followed. It was time to test out their theory.

Colette smiled. _Hang in there Lloyd... we're almost there._

_To be continued..._

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Bijin: And thus ended chapter 27. I hope you guys weren't too disappointed considering most people seemed to think there was a romantic connotation to the word 'confessions'. Different kind of confessions. Sorry. Review please! 

**Next Chapter: Half-Blood's End**


	28. Half Blood's End

Bijin: Okay... this is it... the last chapter... at least the last formal chapter. The epilogue comes afterwards. And the epilogue should be up soon. I've been so paranoid about posting this chapter. I think cause I can't believe it's done. The story is completely done... it's been done for a while... I just can't freaking believe it. Anyway... Review responses before we start the final chapter...

Lady-Jana-Sparrow: You'll see soon enough.

Maxmagnus20019: Indeed. I hope this one is up to par.

Catwarrior: You'll see the meaning. Glad it had you thinking, though...

MoonlitInuko: Yes, I did change it. Mainly because I needed Dr. Surah to kind of be the link between Warren's group and the main group. I thought about it for a long time, but I finally decided to give Dr. Surah that past. It really is the only contradictory thing in the story and I risked it simply because I knew that somehow I needed Dr. Surah to be involved with the characters, but I also needed him to have revalance. So I went with that since it is rather vague in the game. Even though Zelos explains things, it is still left quite vague.

Chapter start!

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**Chapter 28: Half Blood's End**

Deserted...

It truly was the only way to describe the area. Research seemed to suddenly be abandoned, tents toppling over, the main building falling apart. It was odd enough that even Kratos had trouble deciphering if the damage was fresh or due to time of neglect. "Did something happen here?" Colette whispered, as if trying to keep their presence unknown.

"I dunno. I don't see any bodies around. This could just be an abandoned research site. It's not messed up enough to seem like there was a struggle," Raine muttered, examining the front tent. The tent's tarp had fallen from its pole and toppled downward to hang over the tables within. What papers had been on the table were now spread across the ground, and the few boxes in the corner had been knocked down. "The tables are all upright. It's as if everyone suddenly got up and left."

Kratos froze, his hold on Lloyd's legs becoming suddenly very tense. A surge of mana. He glanced around, though nothing was near. "Origin, did you feel that?" he inquired softly.

_Feel what? Stop asking me that. I'm in a nearly dead kid's body. How the hell am I supposed to feel anything when he's asleep?_

"Oh never mind... you really are useless, aren't you?"

_Hey, now. Summon me and I'll kick your ass._

"No thanks." Kratos rolled his eyes, but then stopped as he found Sheena staring at him.

"Who are you talking to...?" she muttered.

"Origin's being a smartass. Don't worry about it. But... be on guard everyone!" he called raising his voice for the latter part of his speech. "There's something weird going on here."

"Yeah," Raine agreed, her eyes glued to the display of the mana tracker. "There are huge surges of mana coming from the volcano. We don't know how stable this place is, so be on your toes."

_From the volcano...?_ Kratos looked around. _No... I'm feeling something different. Something... something the mana tracker isn't picking up... or can't pick up._ He froze again. "Oh my god." He took off at a run, catching easily up to the front of the group. "Be on your guard, everyone. I sense half-elves. And I'm not talking about Raine and Genis."

"But there's no one in sight," Zelos argued.

"Trust me on this. We gotta do this fast."

Slowly, but surely, the group made their way up the slope until they stood at the mouth of the volcano, staring down into the dark crater. All that could be seen of life was the small pool of red they saw in the distance among the pitch-black rocks. The rocks before them were able to catch the last few rays of sunlight and show them at least 100 feet into the crater. Beyond that was a dark tunnel, spiraling into a red orb at the bottom.

Zelos looked to Sheena. "Do your thing, Hunny!" he cried, stepping back.

Sheena growled and stepped foreword, hand held above her head. "I call upon the light of the Heavens! I summon thee, come! Aska!"

A flash of brilliant light blinded them all as the large bird suddenly dropped from the sky, wings spreading and sending a powerful gust of wind through the group as it caught itself to land gracefully. "Summoner?" his voice boomed deeply in their heads. "What need have you?" Kratos turned, another large surge of mana.

Sheena smiled and pointed at the crater. "Inside this volcano is a Phoenix. Rumor has it that you are the only one who can draw the Phoenix out. Could you please call him?"

Aska nodded, both heads tipping back and suddenly releasing a sound that made the group pause. It was as if it were singing, a lovely tune produced by perfectly carved vocals, the tune dipping and rising with a melancholy dance.

The earth shuddered. Several steps back were taken by all eight of the present spectators. Heat flooded from the volcano's mouth and a responding song rose up from within. "This is it!" Raine exclaimed. "This is the Phoenix!" As if the volcano itself were erupting, a powerful spout of fire suddenly launched from the crater, dissolving into black smoke in the sky, and from the volcano rose a magnificent ball of fire, flying in a large circle around them for a moment. The flames solidified, forming the shortened wings, a head, and a long feathered tail. Blasts of heat washed over the group as the bird landed, shivering and shaking the flames off as one would shake off water. The bird itself was a shimmering golden, red tipping its wings, its beak, and even the tips of the large talons that dug into the earth. Brilliant orange eyes opened and stared at Aska as their joint song continued, pulsing up and down erratically. There seemed to be no beat, or even a tune anymore, but all the same, the song was beautiful.

"They're... they're conversing..." Genis muttered in awe.

Without warning, Aska was gone; power flooding back to Sheena and the Phoenix's large head turned to look down slightly at Sheena. Standing on its talons, the bird easily towered over the young woman, perhaps matching the height of a fully-grown man. Its powerful body gave a ruffle, feathers causing it to look like a puffball for a moment before it chuckled. "So... you are the summoner... Sheena, are you not?" Sheena opened her mouth to speak, though nothing came out. Was she frightened? Or perhaps simply in awe? Whatever the reason, her speech had been effectively halted. "My old friend tells me good things about you." He took a step toward her, and seemed to settle, moving to sit on his own feet. "He also tells me you come with a dilemma and that you request my help."

Kratos stepped foreword. "My name is Kratos Aurion."

The Phoenix interrupted him. "Aurion...?" He repeated, running the name over a dry tongue. "That name sounds oddly familiar..." He suddenly gave a chirp. "Wait... Aurion the angel... one of the four Seraphim of Mithos Yggdrasil?"

Kratos sighed. "Yes, that's me." The Phoenix gave a snort but Kratos continued, laying the limp form on his back to the ground. "This is my son... and he is the reason we have sought you out."

The Phoenix eyed Sheena for confirmation, and she nodded. Phoenix moved closer, large body soon bearing down at the small sleeping form. He eyed him for a long moment, head at one point moving down to rest on his chest as he breathed. "An odd case..." he muttered. "The soul is missing, though the body lives... A difficult issue indeed." Kratos stared at him, a sense of urgency behind his eyes that the bird couldn't ignore. "I said it was a difficult issue, not an impossible one."

Sheena moved foreword slightly. "Can you put him right again?"

"Well, yes, but not by myself." He stretched his diminished wings and shook slightly before speaking again. "I'll need something from you-!" He cut himself off and suddenly looked at the boy. "Origin?" He backed away. "What the hell you doing in there?" He paused again. "Well, yeah, but... Oh forget it." He moved foreword again. "Origin tells me you have the motivation sorted out."

Colette stepped foreword. "Yes... I have an idea." She knelt next to the body and looked up at the Phoenix, awaiting further instruction.

"What is the boy's name?" the Phoenix requested.

"Lloyd. Lloyd... Aurion." Kratos muttered, looking down at the unconscious form.

The Phoenix said no more, merely tilted his head back and allowed another cry to echo around them, holding tone after tone in a drawn out song, crying for a full minute before looking back to them. "The soul is tired... how long has he been like this?"

"Almost a week." Kratos muttered. "Is something wrong?"

The bird chuckled. "The boy was tired before he lost his soul. This soul is very worn down. Take good care of it once it returns."

Kratos nodded, a small smile overtaking his lips. "Indeed."

The Phoenix gave another fluff before looking to Colette. "Go ahead and give the motivation, child. His soul is here."

Colette nodded, a blush coming over her cheeks before she placed her hands on his face, leaning down. "This is the only thing I can think of that could send the message to your body, Lloyd... we all love you and we need you back." Her lips touched his in a gentle kiss. She remained still for a long few moments, the group staring with an odd curiosity. They hadn't been quite expecting this.

Raine looked to Kratos, who muttered, "Why is she kissing him?"

Raine chuckled slightly. "What other message could you send to the body?" Her smile faded. "His soul won't hear our words, and his physical mind won't comprehend what enters his ears. So a kiss is the perfect motivation. It communicates love and passion and whatever else she wants it to tell him.

Colette remained, her lips holding his mouth softly. The kiss was soft, though there was a sense of urgency in the way her lips quivered, as if frightened or exerting effort to keep from shedding tears. Her shuddering breath mingled with his steady and shallow exhales, and her hands gently held his face still. Finally, she ended, pulling away, but keeping his head in her hands. "Please Lloyd..."

There was no flash of light, no jolt of the motionless body that signaled the arrival of the soul. Only a simple heave of the chest in a heavy breath. Colette stared down at him, her hand moving to his shoulder and shaking it gently. "Lloyd...?" she whispered. "Lloyd, are you there?" Now, the boy did not even open his eyes. She looked up to the Phoenix, a desperate look in her eyes. "Why won't he wake up?"

Kratos was at his side immediately, and Colette moved away. Kratos suddenly seized both of Lloyd's shoulders and shook them slightly. "Lloyd... Lloyd! Wake up, damnit!" He looked up to the silent bird. "Why does he still sleep?" the Phoenix growled.

"I told you that the soul was here! It's up to the soul to decide to come back or not!" the bird argued. He seemed to take a breath to say more, though nothing came out. Yet another strong surge of mana. The bird was instantly gone, diving back into the volcano's crater.

Raine collapsed to her knees. "No... That can't be true... Lloyd wouldn't reject coming back... he wouldn't reject all of us..."

Origin's voice boomed in all of their heads. _I mentioned that he probably didn't want to come back, didn't I?_

Kratos pulled Lloyd's still form into a sitting position. "Origin! You would know, is his soul in there?" His voice was quiet, attempting to hide the urgency they all felt, attempting to remain calm, as he always did. But something inside him was having trouble controlling his words. Origin was silent.

An odd and pressuring silence had fallen over the group, the shock of the issue suddenly hitting them in the head. They could do everything in the world, and if Lloyd so chose... it would mean nothing... and so had he chosen. Zelos dropped to his knees and punched the earth. Regal and Presea stood off to the side, staring into space as if their minds hadn't caught up with what was happening. Genis' hands balled into fists, his eyes trailing to the ground and closing. Raine's weight still rested on her knees as she stared at the earth before her.

Kratos growled slightly, his arms once again wrapping across Lloyd's shoulders and embracing him tightly. "You... you little bastard..." he muttered.

"I see... so the boy's soul is gone. Never would've seen that one coming."

Kratos set Lloyd down and spun in one swift motion. "Warren," he growled. "What have you been doing? What have you done here? I've been sensing mana surges from you guys for a while now!"

Warren chuckled. "I never would've guessed you were trying to do something that stupid. Returning a soul to a dead body." He then raised an eyebrow at them and motioned to an adjacent valley, the bodies and half-living forms of the scientists were strewn about the grounds. "They put up quite a fight. We got quite a few attacks in before they called the rescue squad, though. They should be arriving within the hour." He shrugged. "Though I doubt paramedics could do anything for your dead friend there."

"He isn't dead!" Raine insisted, rising to her feet.

"Oh yes he is. Living without a soul...? What kind of life is that?"

Zelos waved his hand. "Shut up! You don't know anything!" Excalibur was drawn and slashed down immediately, lightning erupting foreword, the group of three splitting to the sides to avoid it. Farith's eyes found Kratos' and there was a heated glare exchanged, Farith's hand running along the healed gash in his temple.

"You'll pay for this," he muttered, and was gone instantly. Kratos vanished into motion as well, and the area exploded into action. Even Colette joined the fray. Warren knew as well as they that Lloyd was no threat to them as he was, and so Colette figured that keeping an eye on him would be the most effective way to deal with him. She took off toward Letto, along with Regal and Presea, though Letto didn't seem interested, diving after Raine and Genis as they began casting, plugging his healed hand toward the ground. Magic circles vanished immediately. Genis toppled over.

"What the hell was that?" he cried. Raine swung her staff down at the short man, though he simply rolled to the side and fired a blast of her own energy into her stomach, sending her stumbling backward. "Raine!"

Regal's foot impacted the ground immediately beside Letto in an attempt to distract him, and Presea joined in moments later. Letto merely waved his hand, sending a group of small balls of mana toward them. Presea swung her axe, slamming it into the ground, then spinning her small body around it, slamming her foot onto Letto's temple. Letto stumbled back, but seemed only phased. "You should work on your martial arts, girl," Letto chuckled. Genis pulled his sister to her feet and the two of them retreated some distance away to begin casting once more. Letto took one look at them and took off after them, Presea and Regal giving chase. They easily caught up, as Sheena was able to effectively stop his progression toward the two half-elves, as she placed herself firmly between the attacker and her comrades. Letto growled as he slammed into a barrier, projected by the card she had affixed to the air. Regal's foot whizzed past his head once more, and Presea's axe just barely missed his hand. Letto growled. "Damnit!"

Regal launched at him again, his entire body flying at him. It took every bit of concentration Letto had to move out of the way, leading Regal directly toward the large man standing behind the shorter enemy. The hilt of a sword came down upon the back of Regal's neck, and Regal gagged slightly before hitting the ground and lying still. Presea spun around, growling at Warren before taking off after him, Zelos catching up to where Warren had moved away from their battle. Letto turned back toward the half-elves, only to find two people blocking his way.

"You don't give up, do you?" Colette demanded, her eyebrows coming into a scowl unfamiliar to her normally smiling face.

"Well, if I did, I wouldn't be a very effective angel hunter, would I?"

"If you're an angel hunter, stop chasing these half-elves!" Sheena growled, dashing foreword, cards drawn. She slashed one out, mana solidifying it into a razor-sharp weapon. Letto's technologically advanced hand was more than enough to block the slash, and he ducked as a sharp chakram twirled above his head. His leg came around, sweeping Sheena's legs from beneath her, and climbing on top of her small body as she fell. A device was placed to her forehead.

"I'll bet this is painful..." Letto mused, a demented laugh behind his voice.

Letto was not a tall man, though he was rather stout, as has been noted before, being rather a heavy man, though not enough to hinder easy movement in battle. Though somehow, Colette's weight was thrown adequately against him, tackling him off her comrade and onto the slope they stood on, rolling down the hill and past the other visible battle.

Warren merely side-stepped Presea's charge, grabbing the back of her head and re-directing her momentum to pull her past her target and further down the slope. Axe was hacked into the ground to stop herself and she swung around, axe held behind her as Zelos made a pass. A sweep of Excalibur was made, Warren merely scooting backward to avoid damage to the legs. Using his oddly placed center of balance now that his equilibrium was off, Warren pitched foreword, sword pointed tip-first at the redhead, eventually putting his legs into the launch. Zelos dodged to the side, though wasn't expecting Warren's stab attempt to turn into a slice, yelping as the sword grazed across his arm. He had no time to nurse the wound, however. Warren placed one foot firmly on a rock before him and spun his body to approach Zelos again. Zelos held Excalibur aloft, bringing it down to clash once more against Warren's blade. Warren smirked as Presea charged at him from behind, his body quickly moving out of the way allowing the pink-haired girl to topple into Zelos' stomach, sending them both to the ground. They stood again and faced him.

"Come on, is that all you have?" he called, laughing.

Zelos growled. _His stamina is amazing. We've been fighting these guys constantly and yet we are the only ones seeming exhausted._ He growled. _Probably because we're emotionally tired as well. Now more than ever._

Without even noticing more than a small gust of wind, the invisible fight between Kratos and Farith shot between Warren, Presea, and Zelos once going one way, then again coming back, moving back toward where Raine and Genis were. Silver Fang remained rooted in its sheathe, Kratos' fists taking care of issues for now. Farith launched his body at Kratos, spinning his legs toward him. Kratos ducked and moved behind him, slamming both palms against his back. Farith stumbled, but quickly recovered, moving back at him to lash his fists out this time. Kratos moved into a series of blocks and counter-punches, though very little changed. Farith's fist swung past his cheek as Kratos' forearm redirected its path, and his opposite hand darted toward Farith's stomach, only to have it caught in the half-elf's smaller hand. Grip powerful and firm, Farith swung Kratos to the side, hoping to fling him against the many large rocks that surrounded them. Kratos' wings flared to life and he merely spun about and dove after him, tackling him to the ground and continuing the fist fight as they rolled along the volcanic soil.

"I call upon the gods of thunder..."

Genis growled as he held his kendama up, large balls of mana crashing down around the high-speed fight. Nothing seemed to change and he collapsed to his knees, his breath coming in heavy pants. "I can't do this anymore!"

Raine cast her Ray spell, and knelt next to her brother. "Come on, Genis... we've gotta keep casting. Kratos is depending on us to slow Farith down."

"Between Letto using that gun over and over, and Farith circulating so much mana through his body, I can't seem to circulate much mana myself," Genis panted.

Raine sighed. Indeed it was suddenly extremely hard to use the mana around them. As if something was drawing a massive amount of mana into itself. "The Phoenix... there were surges of mana coming from the volcano earlier. The mana must be getting thin while the Phoenix is active."

She glanced off to the side where Letto had thrown Colette off and was now fending off the two girls and a newly revived Regal. Though the blue-haired president certainly looked a little wobbly. His eyes were glazed, sweat running down his forehead as he recovered from being so rudely and abruptly stunned by a blow to the neck. Even as he launched a barrage of kicks at the shorter man, she could see his eyes struggle to focus.

"... Take my sword and give me the power to defeat those who stand against me..."

Beyond that grouping were Warren, Zelos, and Presea, all three seeming to be in melee mode, Presea and Zelos struggling to work in unison. Though in honesty, an axe wielder and a swordsman would have difficulty finding a joint strategy. It looked as if they were attacking each other just as much as Warren. Neither was injuring the other, though Warren seemed more than happy to re-direct their attacks toward each other. Raine growled, watching a form explode into the ground, sending a wave of dust and rocks to the sides, a second form landing a few feet away. From the two craters rose the blue-winged angel and his opponent, the brunette half-elf. The magic-user simply grunted to herself and began pouring mana into the ground, a large circle appearing at her feet. Genis made his way to his feet though did not begin casting right away. After all, what could he cast? Nothing he could muster would be strong enough to make a difference. Not to mention Farith had already stopped moving.

"Two powers in one body... damnation, salvation and everything in between, grant my sword this thing in the instance I cry out..."

Raine held her staff above her head and Genis could feel energy rush through his body. He glanced around at his other comrades as they, too, perked up at Rain's cry. "Revitalize!"

Though within a few seconds... all action on the volcano's slope halted. Light glowed at their feet, encompassing every person nearby. It grew suddenly hot and all eyes were turned upward at the cry that rang out a familiar tone. "Godly Thunder!"

Lightning rained from the sky, Warren screaming as several bolts cut through parts of his body. He dropped to his knees and glared up the slope to the caster at the top. Letto and Farith stood in similar positions, Farith on his feet in and instant, and Letto on all fours, coughing and panting to the ground. All eyes were drawn to the form at the mouth of the volcano, large violet sword sunk halfway into the ground, sweat pouring down a pale face and brown eyes shimmering with tired, but present, life. Two large wings shimmered on his back.

"What the hell is going on?" he rasped, his voice sounding as if he had never used it.

Kratos was on his feet in an instant, dashing over to meet him. "Lloyd..." he whispered, putting a hand on his shoulder. Lloyd whimpered slightly and moved away.

"Sorry..." he muttered. "I'm a little tender at the moment..." He looked down. "What's going on...?" he demanded, his voice weak, but firm.

"How is he...?" Warren muttered, his form suddenly on his feet as he rushed up the volcano toward the two angels. "I thought you were dead!"

Lloyd merely stared at him, then looked up to his father at his side. Kratos stood and flew down to meet him, drawing Silver Fang as he did. The two clashed blades, and the battlefield exploded into action once again. Farith stood from his place, his source of mana dwindling, and so he left the blue-winged angel to his superior, running down to meet with Warren's previous targets.

Letto remained on his hands and knees once the power had died down. Facing as many enemies as he had, it was more taxing on him to be struck as he was, and so all it took was a simple kick across the temple from Regal to knock him to the ground, unconscious. Nearby, Farith busied himself with Zelos and Presea, easily dodging their weapons to attack their bodies directly. Zelos slashed down, Farith moved to the side and brought his knee up to hit Zelos' middle. Presea charged at him, axe foreword, Farith jumped up and maneuvered his feet against the back of Presea's head. Presea had hit the ground just in time for the huge gust of wind.

White light blinded the field, eliminating vision for a moment following by a deafening explosion. Weight shifted as a whole toward the ground, and the group, enemy and ally alike found themselves buried in volcanic dust, small rocks rolling about the area. Presea felt Zelos' body come down on top of her, as if to shield her, though it was more likely a mixture of clumsiness and perverted intentions than an attempt to protect her. Raine and Genis clung to the rocks they lay on as the gust blew dust and small pebbles against their faces. Sheena fell backward, her body coming into hard contact with Regal's as the latter stood firm against the wind, feet anchored in the dust, Colette behind him, shielded and acting as support at the same time. Kratos shoved Silver Fang to the ground, holding it and himself in place as he watched Lloyd's body blown backward and into a boulder by the eruption from his hand.

A scream followed the explosion. And even had there not been noise, eyes would've been drawn to the top of the mountain where three figures loomed. Lloyd still slumped against the nearest boulder, though conscious, Kratos and Warren standing nearby, blood snaking a trail down the slope. Silver Fang had been easily pushed through Warren's front in the confusing aftermath of the explosion, Warren's own sword dropping from his hands and clashing loudly against the rocks. Lloyd blinked as Kratos moved away, kicking the larger man rudely from the end of his blade, allowing him to collapse to the ground. Of all things, a chuckle escaped the throat of the dying man.

"I suppose... angelic speed... outweighs a half-elf's strength, any day, huh?" he sighed, glancing to Lloyd. Lloyd's eyes held an odd look, a mixture of confusion and amplified horror. His absence of a grasp on the current situation seemed to increase his terror at the situation. "You know... even though you defeated me... hatred for the angels... hasn't faded." He coughed slightly, blood dribbling down his skin. "In fact, it'll probably increase... now that you've killed those after you... You monsters haven't... gained anything."

Though tempted to run his sword through the man a second time, Kratos gave his blade a swing, flicking some of the blood off before sheathing it and wandering over to Lloyd. Lloyd shuddered slightly before glancing around. "Dad, what the hell's- Hey! What the hell are you doing?" he demanded. Kratos glanced up, barely noticing the others running up the slope to meet with them.

Farith was slowly making his way up toward the mountain's crater. "Farith?" Kratos called. The young man turned.

"You all seem to have things under control here." he chuckled. He stood for a moment, teetering on the edge of the volcano, his eyes fixated on Lloyd. He said nothing, allowing the gaze to be burned permanently into his mind, as if hoping that in some way, the stare would be the thing waking the young angel up at night. And with a simple shift of weight, he was gone; body vanishing into the crater, and all was quiet. Kratos blinked.

"What the hell was that...?" he whispered, looking back to Lloyd.

The boy blinked faintly, a chuckle coming from his throat. "If I had any idea what was going on, I might make a comment on that as well." He yelped suddenly, his body leaping to the side slightly, his left hand held out and shaking faintly. The small metallic device, which had plagued him, now cracked and fell from his hand, hitting the ground in several small pieces. "What the... why'd it break...?" he asked of no one.

"Seems its job is done, Lloyd," Kratos muttered. He received a range of odd looks, but smiled as he pulled Lloyd into another embrace. "Welcome back, Son."

Lloyd blinked, pulling away. "Welcome... what the hell has been happening? Dad, why are you here? And why is everyone together again?"

Colette shook her head, tears pouring from her eyes as she threw her arms around his neck. "Oh thank god..." she muttered. "We thought we'd lost you."

Lloyd simply sighed as the group began chattering about this and that, as if they were all trying to talk to him at once. _Oh well... confusion to be dealt with later._ Kratos stood, smirking and offering a hand to him. Lloyd sighed and took the offered hand, rising to his feet, but toppling into his father immediately. "Ahh!"

Raine smiled and placed a hand on his head. "Seems you'll have to get used to walking again there, Lloyd."

Lloyd smirked. "Thanks."

"Yeah! Cause I'm not carrying him!" Zelos insisted.

Sheena suddenly jumped. "Oh god... we need to get out of here. The rescue squad is here and can you imagine the hell that'll be if they find us here among this?"

There need be no other explanation. The group took off down the slope and toward the rheairds.

Celebration was in order, after all.

_To be continued..._

_

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_Bijin: And we're done! Can you believe it? 28 chapters completed. Stay tuned for the epilogue. 

Thank you so much to my sisters who helped a bit with the planning and to all the reviewers who gave me feedback. You guys are what kept me writing, I assure you.


	29. Epilogue: The Party

Bijin: Homygawd... I can't believe I'm saying this, but this story is officially finished. I can't believe I finished it. Once again, I'm going to get mooshy for about three seconds and say to all the people who read and especially to those of you who review, thank you so much. You are the reason I was able to finish this story. I looked foreward to your words after every chapter, I really did. And for those of you who didn't review, I want you to know I checked the hits a lot to see who was reading and such and it made me smile every time I saw that you had come back. So thanks so much for all the surrport out there.

Mooshiness gone.

I have to tell you that finishing this story is rather surreal. But I also have to tell you how much fun I had writing this epilogue. I've been waiting to post this for a while since I love it so much. XD Anyway... let's do review responses one last time. Oh, and keep on reading through the author's note at the bottom as I have a little announcement for those of you who follow this story.

Catwarrior: You'll find oooouuuuuttttt...

MoonlitInuko: Thanks. I surprised myself by finishing this. I'm usually such a lazyass.  
Kratos: Indeed.  
You suck...

George Lennon: Update granted, mah friend.

Maxmagnus20019: Glad you liked the ending. I fine-tuned it for forever cause I was afraid people wouldn't feel satisfied with the ending battle. Granted, the story continues a little in the epilogue to close things up, but a sense of completion needed to be felt in the last chapter as well.

Yokura: All shall be explained, your questions answered... grasshoppah...

Onihime 942: Ending indeed... It also makes me sad. Yet... happy at the same time...

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**Epilogue: The Party**

"Sheena, what are you doing? Get out here!" Raine insisted, waving a decorated hand at the girl who seemed content to cower behind the bushes of the palace.

"I feel like a fool! No way!" the dark-haired ninja insisted.

Genis appeared at his sister's side and crossed his arms. "Look, you've stalled long enough. The party started an hour ago." His body was dressed in a simple suit, dark gray jacket and slacks with a light blue blouse beneath, brought together with a white tie. Beside him stood his sister. Her dress sported a single strap, which began above her left breast and cut across her collarbone to hold to the right side of her neck. The dress itself was a white and light blue, matching her hair and eyes, and accentuating her pale skin. Shoes were delicate and a shimmering white and a white handbag was held in a braceleted and ringed hand.

"Zelos said we could arrive late," she insisted.

"But he did say we had to arrive," Raine growled.

"Miss Sage?" a deep voice called. Raine smiled politely at Regal, whose form was walking gracefully from the ballroom, Presea at his right arm. "We were beginning to wonder when you'd show up." He paused. "Wait... wasn't Sheena coming with you?"

"I'm making a stealthy entrance," she called quietly.

"She's embarrassed at the dress the elves made for her, so she refuses to come in," Genis explained. "And for someone interested in stealth, you certainly are making a fuss." He shrugged, turning and blushing at the adequately decorated Presea. Her hair had been pulled into its usual pigtails, though were half in buns. Hair had been left to spill down on each side of the buns, a small red ribbon tied into each. Her dress was a simple deep red color, yet fit her elegantly. The top was spaghetti strap and fit tight around her bust, then was left to hang loosely down over the rest of her body, stopping at mid-shin in front, but dragging along the ground in back. Regal was dressed in his typical royal fashion, Green jacket overtop a pure white t-shirt, cuffed with a green tie at the neck. His pants were khaki, shoes an elegant dark brown. More colors than most would wear, though they all seemed to work together for the man at this point.

"Hey, guys, don't take off-!" Colette picked up her pace as she exited the ballroom, her heeled shoes clicking on the floor as she moved. Raine had suspected the young diplomat to be dressed professionally, but she looked as commonly fashionable as the rest of them. Her dress fit her form nicely, curving with her body. The top was halter-style, the neck dipping down to her breasts, though remaining modest, as Raine had expected. The dress itself was a dark golden color, the fabric beneath a shimmering white. The golden was slit up the left leg, allowing the white to show through. The bottom flared slightly, allowing for free movement as she walked. A delicately golden shawl snaked around her elbows, trailing slightly behind her. "Professor Sage! Genis!" She trotted over, nearly spilling her punch as she went. "You made... um... where's Sheena?"

Genis pointed at the bushes and Colette wandered over, pushing her cup into Genis' hand. Loose blonde hair spilled over the bushes as she leaned in, attempting to get a look at the cowering girl. "Oh, Sheena! Your dress is gorgeous! Come on out!" she insisted, obviously taking hold of Sheena's wrist.

"Ah! Colette! No, it's embarrassing!" Sheena wailed as she was successfully evicted from the shadows. Regal whistled slightly as she came into the brilliant lights, which fell from the ballroom. Sheena's figure was generous enough and it seemed as if the elves had made the dress specifically for her. A deep lavender color made up the primary part of the dress, form fitting as had been expected. The dress trailed to the ground, allowing her feet to be seen in front, though was dragged slightly on the ground in back. The deep lavender parted sharply beneath her breasts, angling out toward her shoulders, wrapping around the tips of her shoulders, then tightening around her arms to form sleeves, which ran the length of her arms and onto her hands. Across the bust that would be showing due to the lavender's angle, was wrapped a soft pink, which seemed to make the colors tastefully brilliant. Her right hand was decorated with a middle-finger ring which then stretched and branched out to dance across the back of her hand. Sheena looked down. "You didn't have to pull so hard," she insisted, adjusting the pink necklace, which rested upon her collarbone. She pulled a piece of hair behind her ear and blushed. "Alright, alright, I'll go in."

Regal chuckled. "You didn't want to come out in that? Sheena, you look beautiful."

This incited another blush from the ninja before she quickly changed the subject. "So... have Lloyd and Kratos come by?"

Colette shook her head. "Nah. They said they'd be around toward the end when most of the people have already gone home. Which actually should be soon." She spun slightly and grabbed Sheena's wrist in one hand, and Raine's arm in the other. "Come on!" she cried, laughing like a schoolgirl. "Come on in and dance with me! Presea won't dance, and I feel weird dancing by myself."

Sheena whimpered slightly as she was dragged to the shifting mass that was the dance floor. The song at the moment was a slow song, so the girls took a small bit of the wall to themselves and paused, waiting for the song to end. "They shift between slow songs and fast songs. So we just have to wait for the next song."

Sheena took the place in as Raine wandered away for a moment to grab a small glass of wine. The entire ballroom had a golden glow to it, brilliant lights lighting up the entire palace and most likely the church nearby. Fashion and finery were abundant as the richest and the most powerful had decked out in their finest to celebrate another accomplishment. It made Sheena feel suddenly self-conscious. Her dress was not studded by diamonds or covered in a glitter, which reflected the light in an alluring way. Not that she'd want such an attention-drawing outfit, but she certainly felt common. She wondered if perhaps the others felt similarly. She found her eyes wandering to the balcony, expecting to find the redheaded young man, which had arranged her attendance to such a fancy issue, though they were decorated with men looking much older than the one she searched for. A band was tucked into the back right-hand corner of the room and played a slow and soft song, coaxing a steady and intimate sway from the group of couples on the dance floor that took up a large circle in the center of the room. A crowd of large tables were set up in the front corners of the room and were spotted lightly with the rich and famous, conversing about this and that, showing off their attire and accessories. Sheena again suddenly felt common.

A shift in the music brought to her attention that it was time for her to move. Several more groups joined the dance floor, and Sheena found herself pulled onto the floor herself, Colette and Raine beginning to dance already. At first, Sheena hardly swayed, though once the music caught on, she danced as Raine and Colette did, joining their swaying threesome. They spent a long time like that, allowing their bodies to bob and sway with the crowd and the music alike. Familiarity with each other made their dance almost seem rehearsed, each one flowing their movements into the next and the next. Finally, the song slowed to an end and another rush of people flooded the dance floor, couples making their way in to dance to the slow song.

Sheena halted her movement, her feet clumsily attempting to keep her upright and tensely move about to the crowd's movements, Colette and Raine suddenly gone from her vision, swallowed into the sea of suit jackets and finely accentuated body parts. She backed up slightly, though she seemed to have migrated from her original position near the edge of the dance floor and now found herself without any idea as to the quickest means of escape.

Her face went red.

A firm body came against hers from behind, a gloved hand enveloping her own for a moment. Red hair fell onto her shoulder before she was gently pushed away long enough to twirl her around and gently bring her back against the body. She nearly choked. "Zelos?" she cried in a harsh whisper.

Zelos put the index finger of his gloved hand to his lips, a smile coming over them as his occupied hand squeezed hers slightly. "Mustn't ruin the mood, Sheena," he chuckled softly. His free hand moved down to place itself kindly upon her waist, pulling her close to him as the dance continued, her own body eventually giving in to his lead and swaying with him.

"Where... where have you been?" she inquired against his chest. She found herself staring at the front of his finely decorated blouse, his royal jacket colored white and red, elven embroidery dancing up and down the front and sleeves. Hands were dressed in delicate white gloves and his slacks were perfectly pressed and white, shoes of the same color adorning his feet. Hair was slicked back and caught in a dignified low ponytail, letting some of his bangs hang free, a little of it dangling against her own hair.

"Mingling," he whispered simply. "And looking for you." As the dance demanded, he- along with every other man in the room- twirled the girl at his front, then brought her back to his chest. "You're late, you know."

Sheena shrugged. "You know stuff like this isn't my type of thing. I'm a ninja. Getting dressed up isn't what I call a good time."

"Oh, but you look so beautiful when you do," Zelos murmured slyly. Sheena's face went red again. She found herself almost lulled between the intimate sway of the couples, the beat of his heart, and the soft melody of the music that guided them. Time seemed to fly by, and before she knew it, the dance was over, Zelos stepping back to give her a graceful bow and lead her off the floor to the side. He swiped a small glass from the nearest usher and offered it to her. "Wine? It's the best stuff around."

Sheena pushed his hand away. "No thanks. Who knows what you spiked that cup with?"

"Sheenaaa..." Zelos whined in his typical fashion. "How mean... I just took it off the tray! How could I have done anything to it?"

"I don't trust you," She insisted firmly.

Zelos sighed and began sipping at the wine himself. "Ah, but that dance told me otherwise, my Hunny," he reminded her, offering the glass to her a second time. "Here. I even drank some of it myself." She regarded him suspiciously again before taking the cup, sighing and taking a sip. The taste was tangy, though not in an unpleasant way. She smiled.

"That is pretty good," she conceded. She looked up at him. "This is a nice ball you've got going here." She leaned casually against the wall, Zelos leaning next to her.

"Yeah, well... I hardly had any say in the arrangements. After all, I've spent the last few weeks running around like a madman with you people," he pouted, crossing his arms.

"Oh don't say that. You know we did an amazing thing, ne?" she chuckled, knowing he was being less than serious with his opinion on the issue.

"Yeah, yeah, I know." He looked up. "It's only been about a week and a half since the entire issue ended, but... it seems like it's been forever. Everything moves so slowly around here." He chuckled. "Letto's formal trial isn't even for another month or so. Not to mention I hadn't heard from anyone until tonight. After seeing you all for a few weeks straight, not seeing anyone for a little over a week..." He shivered. "I feel like I'm going into withdrawal."

Sheena laughed. "Hardly. This week and a half has gone by like lightning for me. There was so much to get done at the village for the time I was gone. Not to mention Raine and Genis dragged me to Heimdall so I could get this elven-made dress for this thing."

"Which makes you look like an angel," Zelos interrupted suddenly.

Sheena blushed, but continued. "But either way, everything went by really fast. Though I am wondering how Kratos and Lloyd are doing. Kratos told us he would give us a progress report of the damage to Lloyd's memory soon."

"Oh they'll be here," Zelos assured her. "Kratos gave me his word that the two of them would show up toward the end of the party." He chuckled, and then straightened as his name was called from above. Perched upon the balcony was an elderly man, calling for Zelos' attention. Zelos chuckled. "Well... gotta go mingle with the old folks." He turned to her as the man vanished back into his seat above them. "Thanks for the dance," he muttered, giving a sweeping bow.

Sheena chuckled. "Sure." And then it happened.

Breathless, Sheena found herself with her back to the wall, a gloved hand once again encompassing hers, Zelos' lips gently capturing hers in a gentle kiss. The kiss was short-lived, as perhaps he feared letting it last longer than that, but Sheena suddenly found herself quivering at the passion which was communicated from that brief touch of his mouth. Before she could even breathe again, he had released her hand and darted away toward the staircase leading to the balcony he had been summoned to. Sheena stood in awe, her weight leaning still against the wall behind her, one hand to her chest, and the other gently to her mouth. The feeling of his warm lips upon hers, she decided, would be a feeling she wouldn't easily forget. So flustered was she that she nearly forgot what her reaction should've been in the first place.

"Baka miko!" she shouted after him. She swore she could hear a sly giggle erupt from the staircase. She crossed her arms and leaned back against the wall, grabbing another small phial of wine from the nearest tray. Even so... she couldn't stop the smile that came over recently taken lips.

The party continued in its elegant finery long into the night. It wasn't too long after Zelos' little event with Sheena that couples began to file out of the Palace. Either to walk about the city or head home, the ballroom began to empty. And eventually there remained only a few dancing couples, the band continuing to play bravely as the night wore on. Sheena headed over to where the group had mostly assembled, Zelos hiding quickly behind a confused Regal as she approached.

"Any sign of Kratos or Lloyd?" she inquired casually as she made her way over. Zelos inched toward her, as if testing to see if he would get a strike for his bold actions. She remained still and he eventually took a simple place at her side, smiling brightly.

"Not yet." Raine shook her head. "I hope they show up soon or I'm not gonna have enough energy to hang out with them when they get here."

"Aww!" Zelos cried, his hands fisting and his stance widening. "Those guys better not skip out! I still have to give Lloyd his lecture!"

"Now there's some motivation, Pink-head," a sarcastic voice cut in. Kratos appeared at the door, Lloyd not too far away, wings folding against their backs and shifting slightly before vanishing.

"Lloyd! Kratos! You made it!" Colette exclaimed, running over to greet them.

Lloyd chuckled. "We've actually been here for an hour or so. We just didn't want to come out until the crowd had died down a little." He rubbed the back of his head and shrugged. He looked up to Zelos. "Though I don't know all the details, Kratos did mention something about a lecture, Zelos."

"Damn straight, Lloyd Aurion!" Zelos snapped, marching over and grabbing the back of Lloyd's cape, dragging him away.

Kratos chuckled faintly and turned to the rest of the group, as they looked him over. Kratos and Lloyd sported largely the same outfit, though the colors differed. Kratos' wore a high-necked shirt, a solid white color, pants shimmering white as well. Black belt supported his pants, matching black gloves, a black undershirt, and elegant black shoes. The cape didn't seem to be a separate issue from his top, but rather seemed to exist as a second part of the same material. Lloyd's outfit was similar, though his color was largely black, as seemed to be his inclination in the past few months. High-necked black shirt was buttoned to the right side, pants long and pressed. Shoes were of the same color, only his white gloves different. His cape was in fact a separate piece, held to his chest by two white buttons. Kratos shrugged. "We probably don't look like too much compared to the other people around here, but what can I say? Neither of us are very good with a needle and this is what you get when two guys go shopping for clothes."

Raine chuckled and offered him one of the small phials of wine. Kratos smiled and sipped thoughtfully, faltering under the unified gaze the group was giving him. The angel chuckled as he spun to look at Zelos in the distance, thoroughly chewing his son out. "He's different from when we met him outside of Krimari, that's for sure. It seems that in almost a week's time... a year of memories were wiped. He says the last thing he remembers was picking up an exsphere after meeting with Carlan. Then he woke up on Mt. Chira. He doesn't remember anything about Derris-Kharlan or even the truth about the small device on his hand."

"What exactly was that thing anyway?" Raine inquired. "I imagine it was some sort of focuser for the exsphere, but I couldn't quite tell."

Kratos shrugged. "Lloyd said it was something like that when I talked to him after _Heaven_ was destroyed. In fact it was more than just a focuser. It was a prototype for a device that _Heaven_ was working for. At first they told him it was an amplifier, but in fact it sped up the process of the evolution of an exsphere to a Cruxis Crystal. At an alarmingly fast rate, Lloyd's blood was consumed by the exsphere and soon became a Cruxis Crystal. And when it broke, its job was done. Lloyd no longer has any human blood in him." He gave her a serious look. "Like me, he is now a pure-blooded angel."

Colette put a hand to her mouth. "Oh my god... does he know?"

Kratos nodded. "It wasn't something I was about to hide from him. After all, finding out on his own would be so painful." He chuckled. "He actually said the same thing he said to me the first time he told me about it. He said that it was partially a good thing. After all, if he became a pureblooded angel... his years would be long like mine. Meaning that we wouldn't be alone. We could remain together for as long as angels live."

Raine nodded. "That sounds like him."

Regal spoke up. "So... how is his personality after all this? I mean... how much damage remains?"

Kratos sighed. "Well... he doesn't remember this past year. Which means he doesn't remember _Heaven'_s betrayal. That boy, Carlan... he doesn't remember ever being betrayed by him, and so his personality has softened some."

"But did you tell him about _Heaven_ and such?" Genis pushed.

"Yes. I told him of the betrayal. But I left out the part about Carlan's role. I told him that Carlan had no desire to betray him... which in truth was what he felt. I left Lloyd with a good impression of Carlan." He paused. "But he actually isn't as hateful as he was when we first found him. Mainly because Carlan's betrayal made him that way. He is still a little rough around the edges and has a lot of anger stored up, but that's simply from the two and a half years of rejection he remembers. All in all, he came out the better for this." He looked down. "I think my only regret... is that he has no idea what he did for the world. I explained it to him... but I get the sense that he doesn't entirely believe me. The fact that Origin won't help me explain anything or back up my stories doesn't help either. He basically takes to the information like I was telling him a tale of someone else."

The group gave a common smile. "Perhaps Lloyd will never know how much of a hero he was. Or idiot, as some would see it," Sheena giggled. "But all in all, perhaps it's better he doesn't remember. He can look back on his own experiences with an outsiders view. I think he can truly see how foolish he was being when he did that. I doubt he'll do something like that again."

"Oh by the gods I hope nothing happens that requires that kind of thing again," Kratos muttered. Colette wandered toward where Zelos had sat Lloyd as Zelos stomped back to the group. "Feel better?" Kratos laughed.

"Much," Zelos retorted, a proud smile on his face as he took up his position beside Sheena.

"By the way, Zelos... what was the verdict reached in regards to Warren's group?" Kratos inquired immediately.

"Well, the angel hunts are by no means off. After all, the research sites at Mt. Volley, and Mt. Chira were both found in shambles, and Letto was more than happy to let them all know that Kratos and Lloyd were present at both of them when they were destroyed." He shrugged. "There's definitely no mistake in the fact that Letto was involved in both incidents as well, so charges are being filed against him for his team's behavior. Needless to say he won't be working for the government again any time soon. As for the angels, even if Letto's testimony can be considered questionable considering his involvement in such violence, there are survivors from Mt. Chira, and even paramedics and such from Mt. Volley that can testify that Kratos and Lloyd were at both volcanoes."

"What about Warren and Farith?" Regal muttered.

"Dead. Warren was found with a hole through his gut, courtesy of our pissed off blue-winged angel here..." Kratos rolled his eyes. "And Farith's body was never found. Though the guy dumped himself into a volcano crater. I doubt he's coming back."

"Plus... Lloyd's told me a few things about the last few seconds before Farith jumped. He says he gave him a look. And it was a frightening look. He said it looked like Farith was telling him he had no reason to live anymore. I think Farith was more attached to Warren than he let on," Kratos muttered.

"He did always kind of have that servant kind of air when we were around him. He was always at his side... and always did exactly as Warren said," Genis agreed.

Raine nodded. "And from Farith's story, it seems as if Warren gave Farith what he needed to keep living. Farith's hatred for angels was intense, but he had no way to do anything about it. But Warren offered him a way to alleviate his anger... angel hunting. If you look at it that way, Warren saved Farith. After Warren died... Farith might have seen his life as meaningless."

"Idiot," Zelos snorted.

"I wonder what they're talking about over there." Colette mused, glancing to the group as they chatted amongst themselves.

Lloyd waved an arm. "Hell if I know," he chuckled. "I never seem to know what's going on anymore."

"Well... according to Kratos, you're missing a year's worth of memories," Colette muttered.

"Yeah, that's what he says. Though from the way everyone's tip-toeing around me these days I'm guessing I'm better off not truly knowing everything that happened."

"Sorry," Colette chuckled. "I don't mean to tip-toe."

Lloyd laughed. "Oh it's not you, really. It's mainly Dad." He leaned foreword. "Did you know that the morning after Mt. Chira, he panicked? I've never seen him like that before. He was terrified. I think... he thought I wasn't going to wake up."

Colette stared at him for a long moment, her mind going over the small bit of information. Her blue gaze wandered to the ground, giving a sigh. "I'd be the same way."

"Huh?"

Colette suddenly found herself thrown against him, her arms wrapped tightly around his middle and her face burying in his chest. "It wasn't even for a full week, but... it felt like an eternity. You didn't... you would barely wake up! We would shake you and the most you would do was open your eyes. It was like you were a zombie!" Her voice quieted. "It hurt to see you like that. He just doesn't want you to go through the same thing again, that's all."

Lloyd sighed, wrapping one arm around her back and placing the other on her head. "You say that, but I don't have any memories of that time. And I have a feeling that even if I had this past year's memories... I wouldn't remember that. But I assure you; I'm not going anywhere again. Not like that." He sighed. Colette still didn't seem to be calmed. He pushed her shoulders back a small amount, letting her know she should sit back. He smiled. "You know, the music is still playing. Would you like to dance?"

Colette giggled. "Nah, no thanks." Lloyd blinked at her. "But you know what I would like?" Another blink. She leaned toward him. "Flying..." she whispered. "Could you take me flying?"

Lloyd chuckled. "I suppose I owe you that much." Colette giggled again, grabbing his wrist and hauling him out the front door.

Kratos watched them go, Raine leaning over. "Did you tell Lloyd how Colette presented him with motivation?"

The angel chuckled. "Well... not really. I figured I'd spare my son's pride, anyway. Information like that is fairly damaging."

Raine laughed as Zelos offered his hand to the lavender-dressed girl at his side. "Wanna dance again, Sheena?" he requested. Sheena stared at his hand for a moment before sighing and heading out to the dance floor again.

Kratos plopped into a chair. "Zelos' energy never ceases to amaze me. He's been here mingling and such for the entire party. The rest of us have only been here and hour or so and I can tell people are rather worn out."

"He is the former chosen, after all," Raine countered, taking a seat of her own.

"Yeah, but so is Colette," Regal added. "She doesn't seem quite as energetic to me."

"More energetic than Lloyd was when she dragged him out that door," Genis chuckled.

"I suppose," Regal muttered, leaning his head on the table before him. He gave a quiet laugh.

"What's wrong?" Presea inquired.

"Nothing. It's just... after all that... we're gonna be alright, aren't we?" Regal glanced up at Kratos.

"Yeah... I think we will be. Someday. Maybe if trouble will sit its ass down somewhere else... we'll be just fine." Kratos leaned his chin on a fist as a loud impact sounded.

"Baka miko!"

The group couldn't help but laugh at Sheena's attempts to pursue a chuckling Zelos in high heels and a long dress. "You get back here! Sensitive my ass! You pervert!"

"And after all that, Zelos still hasn't changed," Genis mumbled.

"Would you want him to?" Raine inquired happily.

"I suppose not. That would be a little weird."

"Then I suppose everything's perfect," Kratos concluded, receiving a chorus of ascent and nodding of heads.

"Perfect indeed," Regal laughed, watching a lavender shoe strike Zelos in the back of the head.

"Guys! A little help?" he whined. "Come on!! Guys!"

_End._

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Bijin: And that's all... the story is officially finished. :Much partying ensues:: Oh! But before I get too far into that... 

I'm gonna take this little... opportunity thing... to announce that my brain is already working on something of a sequal. It's very early in the works so it doesn't have a title yet, nor does it even have a solid plotline. The fact that I left this a little open-ended was like a Welcome sign for my mind. Right now the most that's in the works at the moment is simply a few short things that follow this story. What will probably happen will be an intermediate one-shot, then an actual story. If my mind ever really comes up with something good. I just hope it can do as well as this one has.

Well, that's about all... Thanks again people and see ya!!


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